The Secret Prodigy
by xAliPiex
Summary: Hinata Hyuga, pampered heir of the Hyuga clan. How wrong people were. Beaten, blamed and ignored since three, the young Hyuga snaps on a fateful night and makes a resolution to get stronger, so strong no one would see it coming. Strong but Good Hinata xx
1. Chapter 1

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Summary: Hinata Hyuga, heiress to the Hyuga clan, deemed a failure by all, her family and the little public she met. Beaten, ignored and seen as a failure since three, the purest Hyuga snaps and becomes stronger than anyone could expect.

Chapter 1 

A sharp slapping sound rang through the training ground, and a delicate body was thrust into the air. The four year old landed painfully on the floor, a shadow looming over her.

"Again." The cold voice commanded. The shadow called Hiashi Hyuga strode to the other end of the ground and got into fighting stance; not caring about the small figure sprawled on the floor. He simply looked over it.

The body, namely Hinata Hyuga, twitched and got to her feet, coughing up blood. Her skin was decorated in patches of multi-coloured bruises and cuts, and each one of them stung and ached. She looked pleadingly at the man she called the 'father', but his face remained as icy as his eye colour. She got into her fighting stance, cringing at her fathers disapproving look.

"Your stance is too weak, and your legs are too spread out. I have been over this many, many times with you. You should know by now. Why is it so hard for you to grasp?" Hiashi scolded, like always.

Hinata felt a stab of pain, but it wasn't from her many training wounds. It was inside her, a heavy, dull feeling of uselessness, a feeling she was all _too_ familiar with.

She corrected her stance, letting out a small whine as her frail body protested. She knew, she _knew_ this style wasn't for her. The four year old _knew_ it was too _rigid_, not flowing enough and didn't make good use of her flexibility and speed. A toddler of 4 years _knew,_ but her experienced 'father' was too busy criticising to notice.

"Still too loose. A mere_ baby_ could take you out." In a rush of speed, the elder man was before her, and he sent a blow to her heart. The blow wasn't laced with chakra, but it was far too hard for simple sparring practice, let alone his tiny daughter. Once again, the girl was thrown back, so far this time she slammed into the wall, leaving a trail of crimson red where her head had struck.

Something dangerous glinted in the Clan Head's eye. "Why" he walked over to her, full of anger. He raised his hand and slapped the girl, hard. "Are" Another slap. "You" A kick to the ribs. The beaten girl cried out as her ribs cracked. "So" The man picked up his daughter, and looked into her tear filled eyes. "USELESS!" he flung his daughter into the opposite wall. He screamed in frustration as his eyes met his daughters, sad, pained ones. He didn't need a sad, weak daughter. In those eyes, he wanted to see strength, anger, coldness. Things that a Hyuga needed to survive. In his book anyway.

"You are not my daughter. My children would never be pathetic or weak like you. I try, I try so hard to beat some skill into you, but I get no effort and no progress in return. And it is YOUR FAULT!" Hiashi screamed, blinded by his rage. He charged at his daughters cowering frame, his palm spiked with deadly chakra. His hand was about to strike her heart, when he felt himself being thrown through the air. The Clan Head span in midair and landed gracefully on his feet, taking in the intruder.

It was the Clan Elder.

Hiashi calmed himself, settling back into his cold, cool exterior. He bowed low to the older man. "Father."

"Hiashi, do not harm her." Somehow, the still conscious Hinata started listening, heart going lighter from her grandfathers words. "The Byakugan must pass on somehow, and killing the only heiress would be rather vexing." Hinata's spirits were lessened slightly; she was only being spared because she needed to breed the next generation of Hyuga. "No matter how weak or pitiful she is, you cannot dispose of her until another heir is born."

Hinata's heart froze. Disposal. Even at her age, she knew what disposal meant. It meant receiving a Cursed Seal and possibly, being disowned from the family. What she didn't know, was that she already had been. But that wouldn't matter until later.

"It's only a matter of time… My wife is very far along. This… Break in control, won't happen again father." Hinata almost sighed in relief, but that might give her away. She was desperately trying to scoot along the wall and get out of the room, or at least away from her father. It was rude and against the rules of her etiquette to leave before being dismissed, but for once, Hinata _didn't care. _She refused to listen to this any longer. It only meant her getting hurt.

"See to it." The Elder commanded, leaving the room without even glancing at his granddaughter. "Remember, the Kumogakure alliance negotiations are today." Then he finally left.

Hiashi sneered at his only child trying to escape the room. As much as he would have liked to continue… training, disobeying his father's orders would be disrespectful and he might just end up killing the worthless brat. Anyway, he would need to calm down properly for the meeting; an angry Hyuga had an air of unfriendliness that didn't bode well for alliances and negotiations.

"Dismissed." Hiashi stated, sweeping out the room, not even bothering to get his daughter some desperately needed medical attention.

Hinata shook in pain, but refused to cry. It was rare, usually after training she would break down, but her ducts were refusing to work. Even after what had been by far the worst training session she had ever had, she wouldn't shed a tear. Not for herself, not for her situation or anything else.

_Everyone is right. I am weak. _Hinata told herself. _I-I have no confidence in my little ability, and I am going to be replaced by a baby anyway… Dare I? Dare I defy my clan? S-Should-Should I learn something different? I am… G-Going t-to be d-d-d-disp-disposed of! _Hinata's pain was fading somehow, and darkness began to shroud her thinking mind. _I don't care about the Clan…_

Much later, the heiress awoke to find she was still in the training room. It was dark, cold and her head pounded and her ribs burned desperately with each small, raspy breath she took. The only thing good about her situation was that she had a pot of medical herbs on her. She concocted the brew awhile ago, after her harsh training began. At first, her experiments in herbal potions turned out like black, poisonous tar, but after much study and practise, the little Hyuga had created a perfect remedy for cuts, bruises and pain. Shivering as agony and chilliness tore through her; she fumbled around for the pot that would relieve her of some discomfort. She found it and slathered the pleasant smelling substance over her body and lay still. After 10 minutes, her cuts had fully healed and her bruises had faded completely. It may sound like a medical mystery that one could heal so fast by only an ointment as the heiress was no Jinchuriki, but in fact the reason she had healed so fast was simply because she poured her chakra into her creation without even knowing it.

Broken bones and torn muscles couldn't be healed by an external cream, no matter how much she had tried, but it did numb her pain a little. Hinata knew, when her knowledge of herbs and such became greater, she would make potions to remedy internal injures. Knowledge of medical herbs and her little healing ointment was her little secret, no one else knew, or cared for that matter.

Slowly, painfully, the small girl got to her feet, using the wall as a support. She stood for a while, getting used to moving again. She did feel numb to most of the pain, but it was difficult to walk as her legs were like jelly, and cracked every time she took a step forward. The littlest Hyuga got to the door and listened around, trying to see if there was anyone who could take mercy on her and transport her to the hospital. Her ears perked up and she was almost excited when she heard footsteps.

"Gorou, do you sense that chakra?" a deep voice rumbled. Hinata froze in fear. There was no one called Gorou in her clan.

"Indeed. It seems there is another Hyuga around. Hmmm… We don't have much time if we want it… After all, our first attempt failed." Another voice whispered.

"Yes, the Clan Head's newborn was far too protected it seems. However, I did manage to… cause some strife for the Clan Head…" The voice recognised as Gorou chuckled darkly. "Let's just say that kid will grow up mother-less." Hinata stifled a cry. _Mother! I h-have t-t-to get to h-her-her! _But her fear overcame her need to save her family, and she simply stood pressed against the wall, hoping to melt away so the ninja would simply ignore her like the rest of the world.

"How?" his partner breathed in what sounded like awe.

"Simple, a Shadow Clone and the Transformation Technique. Heh… No one had Byakugan on so I staged being a midwife… Of course, as soon as the child was born the guards knew the Clone was an imposter so it dissipated… Not before I could have my fun though. All it took was one toxic plant extract and a glass of water. It's just too bad the clone couldn't nab the baby too…"

"Why didn't you just do it yourself?" Gorou's partner asked.

"Baka! If I had been there then I would have been dead in an instant!" Gorou scolded quietly.

"Sorry… Anyway… What we gonna do about the brat?"

"Heh… You get outta here. I'll do it."

"Yes, Gorou-sama. Please, be careful, Kumo needs you to stay alive because there isn't another Head ninja like you."  
>"Ass-kisser. Go." Gorou commanded.<p>

Hinata quivered in terror as one set of footsteps grew fainter and another got louder. Her legs refused to work, and her putting up a fight would be about as effective as air. She had no chance to run or to fight. There was only one thing she could do.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Hinata screamed, letting her little lungs burst out sound that hopefully would attract attention.

"Shut it brat!" the man appeared before her. He was a tall, slim man with dark eyes and a black beard. His head was bandaged and a Kumogakure forehead protector covered his right eye. His left eye was creased into a glare directed for Hinata. He scooped up the small child and ran.

"If the Byakugan wasn't so powerful… I would have never had accepted this bloody mission!" The head ninja cursed.

Hinata was too weak to even move. Her small, light body was jostled painfully with every step her kidnapper took, and her limbs just wouldn't obey her commands to thrash and struggle. Hinata's mind did the only thing it could do to protect her from becoming mentally scarred by the whole process. Her mind went blank.

Even when her father turned up and killed the Head Ninja of the Clouds right in front of her eyes, Hinata felt nothing. Her brain just wasn't registering what was happening. When it was all over, everything just clicked again.

Sobs wracked Hinata's body as the lifeless eyes of her kidnapper bore into her, the pain he had felt during death etched into his tanned, scarred features. Her father observed the scene for a moment before picking up his shocked, crying daughter none too gently and taking her to the medical room.

He dumped her on the examination table and strode out of the room, leaving Hinata to her thoughts.

_T-t-th-that m-man w-was d-de-dead! F-f-father ha-had to s-save me, but h-he d-doesn't car-care! He doesn't care! I h-ha-have a sis-sister now, so wh-why did he kill t-that ma-man t-to save my u-useless l-life? Why? WHY? _The poor child clutched her head and bawled. She had never felt so helpless, so useless, so unloved. No one really cared; she was just a failure; the dropout disappointment of the clan. Her father hated her, her mother was dying and she was going to be replaced by her newborn sibling. Her family cared little for her existence as she was too weak to be seen as Clan heiress. And now, when it counted, she couldn't defend herself from enemies and had to rely on others to save her. She was a liability; someone who carried the Byakugan but was so pathetic anyone could steal it. She saw the Curse Seal behind her closed eyelids, and something snapped.

_N-never again! I won't make let myself be treated like this anymore! I am not trash, I__ am not useless! I-I will become strong, so I-I can prove them all WRONG! I won't do this for the clan; I will get stronger for me! _The little Hyuga vowed to herself. She didn't feel better immediately, but she was relived somehow, relieved that she had finally found a use for her weakness. _One day… I will be strong enough so no one has to help me out of situations. But… for now… My weakness will be deception, nothing more. I w-won't give up! I have to grow up now! There will be __no more__ messing around!_

Hinata nodded to herself as a medic rushed in. The medic asked no questions as to how she was feeling or how she got her injuries; they just healed her with glowing green palms while the small, curious Hinata watched.

_But… I have no teacher, but that looks like something that will be very useful to me if I could learn it… But how? How could I find out and practice? Ask? No, I need to keep it a secret… Library? Hmm… Not the Hyuga library, I know I will be found out. Unless, I could change my looks… or sneak in? I'm already ignored anyway… Maybe they won't notice… What else do I need to learn? _

Questions continued to circle around the girls head, some were answered, and some were not. The medic had finished a while ago and Hinata was all alone.

She snapped out of her semi-excited thoughts and took a cautious look around. Who could blame her, she had just been kidnapped. She had a right to check out anything before she went ahead.

Her heart sped up as she spotted a scroll case. Her small, petite body launched itself off the table. _Why didn't I notice it before? How could I have missed this? So much knowledge! I mean… Father put me in here many times before… _Hinata thought sadly, fingering through the old scrolls. They were all carefully labeled.

_Yin Healing Wound Destruction_

_Wide Healing_

_Mystical Palm Technique_

_Chakra Transmission_

_The Idiots Guide to Herbs and Potions: That could kill someone!_

_The Beginners Guide to Herbs and Potions: Well, at least it didn't explode!_

_Advanced Herbs and Elixirs: Wow, it's not poison!_

_Master Herbs and Elixirs: It actually works!_

_Beginner Ninja: What is chakra?_

_Beginner Ninja: Chakra Control_

_Beginner Ninja: Taijutsu _

_Beginner Ninja: Genjutsu_

_Beginner Ninja: Ninjutsu_

Hinata giggled at some of the titles, who knew her Clan had silly books like these! But, they all looked very useful. She took_ The Idiots Guide to Herbs and Potions: That could kill someone!,_

_The Beginners Guide to Herbs and Potions: Well, at least it didn't explode!, Beginner Ninja: What is chakra?, Beginner Ninja: Chakra Control, Beginner Ninja: Taijutsu, Beginner Ninja: Genjutsu_ and_ Beginner Ninja: Ninjutsu _from the shelves. A small pang of guilt went through her body, but technically she wasn't stealing, she was borrowing… For a long while.

Taking a deep breath and checking around, the little beginner ninja took the scrolls and dashed to her room, smiling just a little at feeling so mischievous. It was a feeling she didn't really know about since her father was so strict, but she decided she liked it. She met no one on the way there thank goodness, and soon got to her bedroom without interruption.

She stored the 'borrowed' scrolls underneath her bed, excitement leaving her body to be replaced with exhaustion and worry.

_What if Father finds out? I mean, he already hates me, would he punish me for trying to be better? Well, hopefully he will be too distracted by my new sis- OH! _Hinata gasped. Her mother!

The terrified child tore through the house towards the infirmary (there was a small medical room and a large infirmary) to seek out her mother. Her heart pounded, her head span and her legs began to burn, but she didn't care. Her mother was dying! She neared the infirmary and heard raised voices and a baby screaming.

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE, HEAL HER ALREADY!" the voice she knew to be her fathers bellowed. It held notes of something she had never heard in her father before: fear.

"It-it's too late Hiashi-sama. She's gone. The poison, it was too quick."

"NOOOO!" her father howled over the babies screams. "ATSUKA!"

A worried nurse ran out of the room with a bundle of blankets in her arms, not paying attention to the small girl stood against the wall. There was a small, salty puddle where the girl stood. She made no noise; the only noise she created was the dripping from her tears that splashed on the floor.

_M-mummy! ! M-m-mummy, y-you le-left me! __Y-You w-was the only one who wa-was kin-kind t-to me… _A scream of grief came from the girl and she ran away from the infirmary.

Her little legs gave out somewhere, and she collapsed on the floor, screaming and sobbing. _M-mummy… I-I w-will… I will be strong mummy… I hope you are watching over me now… Mummy…_


	2. Not really Chapter 2

Sorry!

Hey, sorry about this, this isn't another chapter. I didn't realise you couldn't make changes when you uploaded a story onto this site as this is the first story I have written and published.

I know I'm rambling on a bit, but I just wanna say I won't continue this story unless people like it. I'm only thirteen so if I do continue updates would be long Sorry peeps.

Anyway, I hope you liked the first chapter, please review and tell me what you think xxx

xAliPiex


	3. The Real Chapter 2

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Hey, thanks for your reviews. Can you believe that this story was written on a whim? I was searching for a strong! Hinata story and I couldn't really find one that focused properly on her, it was mostly just NaruHina or other pairings xx Sorry if updates are slow, this story's plot is literally written chapter by chapter because I didn't really think much about it, I just wrote and posted (plot ideas and pairings would be helpful… But I _do _have some things in mind…) xx Anyway, onto the story xx

Chapter 2

_4 days later…_

There was solemn silence amongst the Clan members as two coffins were lowered into separate graves. The only sounds that could be heard for miles were the whispers of wind shaking the tree's and drops of water splashing on the floor. The water didn't come from the sky; in fact it was a beautiful day. No, the droplets were from the pale eyes of the Hyuga's.

After praying, the coffins were covered in earth. When the last spade full of dirt had been shovelled, Hinata stepped forth quietly, paper in hand.

She wasn't going to speak, far from it. Even with her new vow to become stronger, the little novice ninja hadn't gotten over her stutter and tried to avoid speaking as much as possible. Because of her speech impairment she ended up paying her respects in other ways.

She knelt on the lush grass and placed some dried flowers pressed in parchment onto her mother's and uncle's grave's, respectively. Her tears of grief also dripped onto the smooth marble gravestones, but no one scolded her as her face was emotionless and she made no sound to disturb the procession. Hinata couldn't bring herself to scold herself for tears as she knew it would be pointless, they would fall anyway. It's what made her human.

Her love of flower pressing had been found when she snuck out of the Hyuga compound.

A mournful air had descended like thick fog over the Hyuga house, a startling contrast to the usually brisk and businesslike atmosphere. Everyone Hinata saw had blank, dead looks or faces contorted with grief. Naturally, when people are overcome by heartache and weariness, they tend to overlook or miss things. Hinata being one of them. She was ignored before, now she didn't exist. That didn't mean it was easy though.

_Flashback_

The small child sat cross-legged on her purple futon, close reading a scroll. The person was Hinata Hyuga.

She had thrown herself into studying to distract herself from the woe around her. To get away from the drama and sorrows of the Clan, she filled her mind with information before she broke from grief as well. Although there was good reason for tears and mourning as her mother had been murdered and her uncle had paid the price for what would be called the 'Hyuga Scandal', wallowing in loss was not a productive way to spend one's time. Hinata had promised herself she wouldn't shed a tear until she was so strong, it wouldn't matter if she showed her emotional weaknesses. Of course, she would break this rule time and time again, but she would keep it up when she could, and that would be good enough.

The little ninja had been incredibly dedicated to her training considering her tender age; she had continued to study well into the night. Every time her eyelid's drooped from exhaustion, the girl reminded herself of her mothers face and her kidnap, how she couldn't save herself or the one she loved.

The Clan had been too busy with their own depression to notice the Heiress studying, or the consequences of her work. After 3 days of practically non stop studying and little sleep, Hinata was looking decidedly worse for wear. Not only did she have bags underneath her eyes like many of her Clan members, but she also was losing weight rapidly too. She had been so caught up in her promises she had forgotten her normal daily routine of eating. But no one cared; no one spared a thought for what she was feeling. Hinata didn't know whether to rejoice in this fact because it meant she had less chance of being found out, or to feel angry and sad that no one looked out for her at all anymore.

She decided on the first reason as it helped her keep her resolution to stay a secret. She wanted to no longer focus on the negative all the time (like her father did) and try and be optimistic (like her mother had been). If she hadn't promised herself to become strong however, she would have decided on the latter and most likely have retreated into her social shell even further.

Currently, the small girl was pouring over a particular passage in the _Idiot's Guide to Herbs and Potions: That could kill someone! _for a recipe for stronger, more resilient bones and immune system that would benefit muscle growth too. Basically, it was a nutritional potion that helped build up the body. Hinata idly (if she was idle at all anymore) wondered whether it was cheating to drink something that would boost your bodies' growth without training… But then she tossed the thought aside and checked the ingredients list.

_Body Booster Tea __(__**MADE UP! PLEASE DON'T TRY IT**____**)**_

_Are you a ninja who is frequently hurt or has underdeveloped muscles? One who catches colds all the time? Has brittle bones? Try the Body Booster Tea, a natural, healthy way to help your body build itself up and boost your natural defences. All that, in one cup of tea!_

_Ingredients_

_Water 500ml_

_Chlorella 2 teaspoons- A green algae found in ponds. Heals and repairs, antibacterial, helps circulation and cures bad breath (well, you don't want to give away your position by smell!)_

_Ashwagandha__, 3 leaves- Imported from the Land of Tea (or if you live in the Land of Tea, it should be in your stores). Boosts immune system, lowers stress and improves memory (so you don't forget to hand in those mission reports!)_

_Bee Pollen__ (1/2 an teaspoon) - This is an Idiot's Guide, but if you don't know what a bee is then even you can't read this book! Found in hives (obviously). Provides essential nutrients, fights fatigue and well… general good health. Can be stored in a larder, herb cupboard etc for about a year before you have to get some fresh stuff. _

_Oat Straw (1 teaspoon dried or 5 stems fresh) - Stem of the oat (duh!). Builds up bones, calms mind, pain relief and boosts immune system._

_Optional: (If you add both you might die of sweetness… Or you're teeth will fall out)_

_Sugar: Ah, good ole sugar! Teaspoon full of sweetness._

_Honey: Get the honey whilst collecting bee pollen for sugary yet soothing goodness. Tablespoon._

_Note: This brew should be drunk once every 2 days (hot or cold). The tea won't take proper effect until a months worth of suggested use. Suitable for all ages (just watch the sugar kiddies!)_

Hinata jumped at the opportunity of making such a beneficial tea that would aid her training. She was a little apprehensive about having to ingest it, her Healing Salve only needed to be applied to broken or damaged skin to test it, but actually putting something unknown down her throat… It made her nervous. Not to mention the sound of food or flavoured drink repulsed her right now, her stomach always felt too full even though she hadn't eaten a single thing and had only drunk a small glass of water when her mouth was uncomfortably dry.

As for getting the ingredients, she prayed to Kami-sama that they were all inside the Herbal Closet next to the Medical Room. She was not nervous about going into there as she had crept in and taken things before without anyone noticing, but if there weren't the right herbs… She might have to resort to more… Desperate measures.

Sneaking out of her room with the precious scroll, Hinata looked around carefully. It was habit she had reinforced since the kidnapping, a habit that hopefully would keep her out of danger. It was tragic she had to check around her own _house _for danger, but it was understandable.

She ran as fast and as quietly as she could, fearing even the small, thudding footsteps she made were too loud. Her heart was thrumming in her chest like it always did when she was out 'borrow' something, and blood rushed to her ears making every small sound seem like a lions roar.

She got to the Herbal Closet and stood still, trying to calm herself. Listening carefully for approaching people, she opened the scroll and took a look at the ingredients again. She memorized every one carefully, and then on the count of three, she dashed inside the closet.

The closet was a dark but rather large place, with a wide variety of herbs stored in a manner of different ways. Each herb that was hung up, potted or bagged up gave a unique scent when alone, but all together the combined aroma was overwhelming. Hinata never liked coming here, she preferred open, fresh places rather than dark, overpoweringly scented ones.

After a brisk but thorough search, the self taught greenhorn herb mistress found all that she needed apart from Ashwagandha, much to her dismay. She sighed before grabbing the herbs she needed and racing back to her room. She placed the herbs underneath her futon along with the rest of her scrolls and thought hard about what she could do. She wanted that Tea so badly, it would be like a secret weapon and she loved tea since she had to drink so much of it at mealtimes. Well, when she_ had_ proper mealtimes. And when she ate and drank properly. She would have to do something about that later as it wasn't good for her, but right now she couldn't really care less.

_T-there's o-only one t-thing I can d-do… I have t-to s-s-sneak out… O-oh, w-what if-if f-father catches m-me? I al-already b-break-breaking the r-rules by t-training in secret… Oh… If on-only s-someone cared enough t-to t-take me o-outside… B-but no o-one d-d-does… _The frightened girl shook herself. _I-I have al-already come far… I can't just give up now!_

She reminded herself once again of her mother's death. That got her going; she practically leapt out of her room when she had gotten her small but decently filled purse. Blending into the walls, the small child tip-toed around the Hyuga compound, always checking each corner before going on ahead.

She was nearly caught once; a random guard who had been shuffling around 'patrolling' had come round a corner when she had been checking the hall out. The guard saw her, and Hinata froze. The pale eyes of the man slid over her small frame, looking at her, but not quite _seeing_ her. Hinata breathed in relief as the guard slunk right past her, not even bothering to say hello. Hinata was used to that anyway, and thought nothing of it. It was an advantage only available to a wallflower such as herself.

She saw the doors leading to her front yard, and something like happiness rose in Hinata. She had been stuck inside too long, she hadn't realised she was going stir-crazy until she was outside. Yes, she had to run a bit to get herbs, but that didn't burn off energy a four year old toddler possessed.

The danger wasn't over just yet; she still had to get out of the gates. She had an extensive, expensive garden, and with a large garden such as hers came benefits like plenty of bushes to hide in. The blue haired child was almost enjoying herself, to her, this was like play she never had. To this girl, crawling around in twiggy, scratchy hedges to get out of her oppressive house, was _fun._

The gates to the real outside world were guarded by two half-dead looking Clan members. Hinata caught snippets of monotone conversation. They were talking about nothing in particular; the weather, how they were today, unimportant things like that.

_O-oh de-dear… How will I get out n-now? _Hinata chewed her lip and brainstormed.

She hadn't tried to perform the Clone Technique (or any other jutsu for that matter) as the _Beginner Ninja: What is chakra?_ book told her that a four-year old's chakra coils weren't developed enough yet to handle channelling that sort of power. That puzzled Hinata in a way, she knew the Gentle Fist needed chakra to work, so why was her father teaching her (if you could call it that) it?

So she would have to rely on her smarts to get her out of the place. She sat in thought for a while, staring at the scroll in her hands. Something like an idea sparked in her mind, and she opened the scroll slowly, tentatively, to the list of things you could make. Her heart leapt as she saw the answer to all her problems.

_Smoke bomb __**(Authors note- some ingredients are missing but this is sort of a real recipe for a smoke bomb!)**_

_Ever needed a distraction? Or just some jolly ole mischief? This smoke bomb will be your best friend in pranking and diversions. _

_Ingredients_

_3 tablespoons of saltpetre_

_2 tablespoons sugar_

_1 tablespoon baking powder_

_2 tablespoons of plant dye (from herbs etc)_

_String or fuse_

_Cotton wool_

_Cardboard Tube_

Hinata stared at the ingredients carefully. The only thing she was unsure about was the saltpetre… Would they have it in the Herb Cupboard?

She felt uneasy about having to sneak all the way back inside, and hoped this cup of tea was worth the trouble.

Like a shadow, she crept back into the house and headed straight for the Herbal Cupboard.

She found some purple plant dye, the sugar and the baking powder. She then went to one of the many bathrooms and scavenged a cardboard tube and some cotton wool. She thought hard about where she could get some string… In the garden perhaps? They did have a greenhouse after all.

She visited her room and deposited her items there and walked slowly to the back garden (she was allowed there sometimes so she didn't have to worry.). The girl still kept quiet at all times, she was never a loud person and didn't crave attention as it brought her pain and nothing else. Pain in the form of training with her 'father'.

The garden was much like the front yard, apart from it had a large shed (that she had never been in) and a greenhouse (which she had been in). She headed to the safer place first, the greenhouse.

It was hot and humid in there, and a bead of perspiration slid down Hinata's neck, but there again, she could be sweating from fear.

The ball of string she needed was at the corner of the greenhouse, but there were no scissors around, and Hinata didn't want to use her teeth.

She looked at her finger, and then at the string. It would only take a small amount of chakra… she was sure her chakra coils could take it.

Clasping her hands together in the position for chakra building, the small girl found her chakra 'centre'; it was where her heart was. That pumping organ was like one big ball of silvery blue energy. Concentrating hard, she sent a part of her chakra from her heart down all the way to her pointer finger tip. It was easy to control _where_ her chakra went, but for her it was hard to keep it going. After just five seconds, she was out of breath. Quickly, keeping her chakra flowing to her finger, the girl sliced her finger neatly across the string.

After two long seconds, the string split neatly, and Hinata gave a little victory cheer. Looking at that bit of thin rope, she felt pride and accomplishment. To her, it was the first time she had succeeded with her true _ninja_ training. This feeling wasn't exactly new to her as she got it whenever she correctly managed to make something useful (using herbs), but it was a feeling the little secret ninja cherished.

She grabbed the bit of string she needed and walked out of the muggy greenhouse, trying not to look suspicious. She headed straight for the shed, wanting to get this part over as quickly as possible.

She hadn't yet activated her Byakugan, much to her father's disappointment. Unlike the other dojutsu like the Sharingan and so on, Byakugan didn't need a traumatic event to awaken (if the Byakugan needed to be awakened like that, she would have already). Her Clan was born with it and activated it when they were strong enough and had enough will. Hinata had the will to do it, but her chakra was never powerful enough. It meant she couldn't check inside for people.

So, instead, she peeked through the small keyhole of the shed on her tiptoes (she wasn't tall enough to reach it at eye level on her heels). Inside was quite dark, but there were small streams of light coming in from the pokey windows, so she could make out some things in there.

There were jars of labelled items, none of which she could decipher. There were sharp, dangerous looking garden tool hung up on a wrack on the opposite wall. A bench was in the centre of the shed with many drawers; hopefully hiding 'treasure' that would help her with her training if she ever came back here. There were no figures of her Clan inside, so she opened the door a fraction and slipped through. She sneezed as dust particles infiltrated her nostrils, tickling them. The shed definitely needed an airing or at the very least a good dust, but that didn't concern her right now. What did was the large jar to the left of the doorway. Its label read Chile saltpetre. She would have jumped in joy for finding it, but that might attract attention. She had gotten this far, getting found out now would be heartbreaking.

She opened the lid and looked at the white powder, frowning slightly. _H-how, how can I carry that? I m-mean, I c-can't ju-just run a-around with e-e-explosives… Do I-I have an-anything on me?_

She patted herself down for something bag-like. Smiling a little, she reached for her purse that was in her kimono pocket. She emptied out the decent amount of money into her pocket and filled the purse up again with the saltpetre.

As quick as her little legs could carry her, she scurried out of the shed, inside the house and back to her room.

The adrenaline that had been rushing through her veins had gone now, and that combined with the running made her out of breath. She washed her slightly dirty face in her small en suite, (although she was ignored, it didn't mean she didn't have some luxury, though most of it was courtesy of her mother) before getting dressed into a cleaner kimono. Then, she collected up all her ingredients and tottered off to the kitchen to finally begin her work.

_**2 hours later…**_

Massive plumes of violet smoke billowed from a cardboard tube, and havoc ensued right at the front gates of the Hyuga compound. Hidden by the shouts, coughs and thick gas, a single figure snuck past the distracted guards and ran as hard as they could away from their home.

Hinata Hyuga stopped when she got to the main street of Konoha, and took a look at the wide world around her.

From a four year old's point of view, everything seemed very big. The main street was packed with tall people, rushing about and chattering whilst doing their daily chores. Over the bustle of shoppers were sellers shouting about their various, brightly coloured goods like no tomorrow. Sunlight beat down on her skin warming her to the core and a smell of something delicious hit the overwhelmed girl's nose, coming from a quaint little bakery shop just to the side of her.

As tempted as she was to explore, her clan would probably be on the lookout for her soon (if they cared enough). She promised when she snuck out again- _W-wait… Will I b-be doing t-this regularly? _Hinata asked herself, shocked at her own brashness. The old Hinata would have never sneaked around making things and taking things and causing mischief. A jostle of someone brought her out of her thoughts and she whipped around in pure fear, praying to Kami it wasn't anyone looking for her. She relaxed when a random, faceless stranger stalked past her, muttering to themselves. She was going to apologise quietly, but the person left before she could summon the courage to open her mouth.

She felt guilty for not saying sorry, but got on with her 'mission'.

She weaved in and out of people, relying on her nose to find what she needed. She caught the scent of something heady and floral, and followed it like a ninja-hound.

Outside were flowers of the spring, from bright, eye catching daffodils and daisies to more subtle plants like lavender and halesia _**(a small, white flower, like a white bluebell)**_. A delicate tinkling noise of a bell rang in Hinata's ears as she stepped into the Yamanaka flower shop.

Immediately, an intoxicating fragrance assaulted Hinata and she breathed it in deeply. Her eyes were baffled at the sight of so many flowers. Pink, red, yellow, orange, purple; if there was a colour out there, this shop had it in their produces petals. And the range was very impressive too, it wasn't just spring flowers; there was a wide range of flora from all seasons. But what excited Hinata the most was the small section labelled _Herbs._

She toddled over to the Herbs section, trying to catch a glimpse of the plant she had gone to so much trouble for. She let out a tiny squeal of excitement, there on the 3rd shelf, was Ashwagandha. It had quite a few leaves that would last about two weeks. She grabbed the potted plant and went over to the counter. And stopped abruptly.

There was already someone watching her. He was tall with a well defined face and blue-green eyes. His hair was long and tied back, but had a leaf headband round his forehead that stuck up the hair at the front in blonde spikes. He was smiling, but then again, sometimes when her father smiled it wasn't for a good reason.

The fear of speaking rose in throat quickly, and she started shaking. She felt exposed and bare, and there was nothing to hide behind. She was in the middle of the shop and there were no walls to merge into. A wallflower revealed.

"Hello there. Is that what you needed?" the stranger asked gently. Hinata shied away a little, she wasn't used to a man speaking to her so politely.

However, it was rude to keep someone waiting. "Y-y-y-yes s-s-sir…" she stuttered out. The man gave a small laugh.

"Ah… If only my daughter was so polite!" he rumbled. Hinata was going quickly from scared to puzzled. Why didn't he scold her for her stuttering? He had acted like it wasn't even there and kept smiling… Why?

"Daddy, I am polite!" a loud, girly voice called out.

The blonde man scratched the bag of his head sheepishly. "Er… Yes daughter…" he looked at Hinata and winked.

Suddenly, a blonde girl stomped into the room, looking at the stranger in mock-anger. "I am!" They looked so much alike, and by the terms that they called each other, they were father and daughter. The girl's bright blue eyes caught the sight of Hinata stood in the shop, holding an herb in front of her face as if trying to conceal herself away.

"Hey! I haven't seen you around here before! What's your name?" The small, loud blonde jogged over to Hinata. Hinata took a small step back; this girl was invading her personal space. No one invaded her personal space now, only her mother was able to touch her in a friendly manner. The reason she was afraid of people coming near her is because her father invaded her personal space all the time; and it hurt.

"Ino… she's shy, be careful with her alright. I'll leave you to help her okay?" the blonde man chided his daughter, still smiling. He turned to the almost cowering blue-head. "My name is Inoichi. Call me if Ino gets too much."

"Fatherrrr! Don't be mean to meee!" The girl called Ino whined. Inoichi chuckled and left the two alone.

"Humph…" Ino scowled at her farther back, and then turned to smile brightly at the shocked Hinata.

_Such… audacity… w-why? Wh-why is she n-not pu-punished? I-I d-don't w-want h-her to be hu-hurt b-but… I do-don't understand!_

Hinata wondered to herself. She snapped out of her thoughts by a hand waving frantically in her face.

"Helloooo…" Ino said, obviously trying to get the other girls attention.

"S-s-sorry…" Hinata mumbled.

"No problem. Name's Ino, what's yours?" Ino asked, lowering her voice a little.

"Hin-Hinata Hyuga…" she whispered. The blonde's eyes widened.

"Oh… I know about your clan! I thought I saw the Byakugan in your eyes. It's weird, but very pretty… Like a snowdrop! Hmmm… Or a purple moonflower in your case. That's this one." Ino picked a single, delicate flower and placed it in the blushing Hyuga's hair. "It looks very pretty on you! You can have that one for free!"

"T-thank y-y-you…"

"No problem! It opens fully at night-time, just saying! Alrightly then, is that all you need for now?" Ino asked, looking expectant.

Hinata took a look around at the wondrous place, and remembered her mother and uncles funeral was tomorrow. She would have to get some flowers that would last as she doubted she would be able to go and visit their graves often.

"E-erm… I-if you d-d-don't mind… I-is there any f-flowers t-that will l-l-last a l-long time w-w-without c-care?"

"Well… Not really, but you can always preserve flowers! There's something called flower pressing, which imprints the flowers onto paper and they last for ages! I can show you if you like?" the blonde offered, looking eager.

Hinata was weighing up the pros and cons. The pros were this girl was very nice and she enjoyed listening to her ramble, it would solve the problem of flowers for the graves and she wanted to see what flower pressing was. On the other hand, she needed to be getting back soon. After a little battle with herself, she decided on the first option.

"Y-yes p-pl-please…"

"Okay! Let me tally the Ashwagandha you have here first…"

Something struck Hinata. What if she couldn't get out again? "W-w-wait p-please!" Hinata raised her voice a little. "C-can y-you d-deliver this t-to my h-h-house o-once every t-two w-weeks?"

"Sure! Your family already buy's herbs from us… Wonder why they didn't have this one! I'll add it to the delivery book for you!" she muttered something to herself as she whipped through a big book. "Ah ha!" she wrote something down. "Okay, that will be 500 ryo and it will come in jars dried but using it is just the same as using fresh ones, if not better!"

Hinata fumbled around for her purse (which she had cleaned out and put the money back in) and handed over the money she needed. Her new 'friend' took it happily and then gestured her to follow her.

_**1 hour later…**_

Hinata held her creations proudly and gave a small, rare smile to the blonde next to her. She had had a wonderful time with Ino, and once she got over her initial shyness her stuttering became a tiny bit less frequent and she spoke more often. They talked mostly about plants, Ino preferred flowers to herbs but she was more than able to hold a decent conversation about them too.

Ino, despite being impatient sometimes, was actually really good at teaching, going through simple step by step instructions to help Hinata make the perfect pressed flower arrangements. She knew a lot about flower meanings so when Hinata requested to make one arrangement about gratitude and one for kindness; she was more than proficient enough to help.

Hinata was about to pay for the presses, but the small blonde turned the money away and told her it's what friends do. Hinata was about to say goodbye when someone stormed in.

Hinata nearly dropped her work, and she backed up a little at the imposing figure. His icy orbs held Hinata's frightened ones.

"F-f-fa-father…" Hinata whispered, head bowed low. Ino noticed how she immediately became terrified at the sight of her father, and understood why. He was a person that demanded respect and could punish you if you didn't obey. She couldn't help but feel a little scared herself, but that was until her father walked in a saved the day.

"Hiashi-san, what brings you here?" Inoichi said smoothly, obviously noticing the tension in the room, and how Ino was cringing and Hinata was trembling. He took a step forward and put his hand on his daughter, who relaxed slightly.

With her father here, Ino loosened up and tried to do the same for her new friend. She took Hinata's soft hand and squeezed. Hinata squeezed her hand back stronger than she would have expected for someone smaller than her.

"Inoichi-san. I am merely retrieving my daughter. She took advantage of an incident at the Hyuga compound and sneaked out. Without. Telling. Anyone." Hiashi hissed, glaring at his daughter.

"Now, now Hiashi. Kid's are like that, they like mischief." Inoichi said meeting the furious Head Clan's eyes coolly.

"My daughter isn't like yours Inoichi, she knows her place." Hiashi retorted.

"That may be right, but a four-year old shouldn't know her place. They should be loved." Ino felt her father squeeze her shoulder gently.

Hiashi's eyes slid from Inoichi back to Hinata, who flinched. "What exactly are you doing here?"

"W-w-well, I-I wan-wanted to g-get s-some flo-flowers for the f-funeral…" Hinata began nervously, but her father held up his pale hand.

"Fine." Hinata relaxed a little, but not much. "And stop that silly little stutter of yours; it's embarrassing for a Hyuga."

Hinata bowed her head in shame, and Inoichi spoke up.

"Hiashi, whilst she has been here she indeed did stutter, but she was getting better as time went on… Maybe if you allowed her out of the house it would improve her speaking skills and not anger you so much."

"Fine, Hinata, you may leave the house when you wish. Just don't rub our name in the dirt by becoming a vagabond. You're weak and useless already."

Ino tightened her hand on Hinata's, and Inoichi stiffened. _How dare he treat his own daughter like that? _They both thought as one. Meanwhile, Hinata was on cloud 9. She ignored the insults she had gotten and concentrated on the amazing thing that had happened to her. She was free; she didn't have to worry about sneaking out ever again. Granted, it was because her father didn't care, but she already knew that.

Hiashi swept out of the shop before Hinata could thank him. The tension in the room dissipated as soon as the door closed.

"Y-your fathers scary…" Ino whispered to Hinata.

_If only y-you kn-knew…_

_End Flashback_

Hinata didn't realise that her father was right behind her.

"It's time to go now Hinata." He said coldly, looking at the intricately printed paper that was held down by two stones.

Hinata hadn't finished grieving, but she daren't disobey her 'father' just yet. She wasn't strong enough.

But hopefully, in time, she would be.

Ashwagandha is a herb that comes from India so that's why I said it comes from the Land of Tea in this story for obvious reasons xx


	4. Chapter 3

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Arvarno: Yes he does. Explained in this chapter

Arvarno: Alright, I've read your review, thanks for the tip xx All I'm saying is that I put the meaning right next to the word because in my experiance it annoys me when people put it in the end. But if everyone else likes it at the end then I'll do it xx

Wow, two chapters in a day… Well, I was bored. I don't know when the next update will be because I need to work on the plot some more so enjoy this one xxx

Chapter 3

_**Two Weeks Later…**_

A familiar ringing sound chimed in Hinata's ears as she stepped into the Yamanaka flower shop. She was nervous; today she was going to try something new.

Inoichi greeted her pleasantly behind the counter like he did every day.

"G-good afternoon I-Inoichi-sama." Hinata answered quietly. Her speech had a little gotten better over the past two weeks, along with her knowledge of herbs and flowers. She had completely read the _Idiot's Guide to Herbs and Potions: That could kill someone! _and successfully made all of the recipes in there, including her miracle drink, the Body Booster Tea.

It had had a positive effect on the toddler, it had relaxed her nervous disposition (making it easier to sleep as nightmares of kidnap and death haunted her as soon as she closed her eyes), it was quite tasty (even without the sweeteners) and about a week after drinking the tea as suggested, her appetite had returned. She was eating and drinking normally again, but she made her own meals now. She used to ask the cooks to make her something before the death of her mother, but she wanted to be more independent. She was going to need it if she wanted to become a strong kunoichi.

"You don't have to add sama to _my_ name, Hinata-chan." Inoichi told her kindly.

Hinata blushed and looked down. "Yes Inoichi-sam-san."

Inoichi gave the blue head an indulgent smile as his daughter ran into the room.

"You ready to go?" Ino asked, bouncing on her heels excitedly.

"Y-yes…" Hinata mumbled, nerves coming back with a vengeance.

"Don't be nervous Hinata-chan! Everyone will love you!" Ino gushed, grabbing her friend's hand.

"O-okay…"

"Be back before 4, its 2 now." Inoichi called out to the pair as they strolled out the door, or in Hinata's case, dragged.

The two were going to the playground, somewhere she had been forbidden by her 'farther' to go until lately. She never saw her father at all now, but that didn't bother her too much. Although, she did wonder what he was doing with his time. He wasn't with her baby sister named Hanabi, she knew that because he wasn't there when she tried to visit. She hadn't been allowed in, because they didn't trust her to be around the newborn as she could be jealous and might attempt to harm the baby. That angered Hinata, she wasn't even allowed to see the one family member who wouldn't be bias against her, but there was nothing she could do about it.

The reason she was apprehensive about going to meet other people was simply because she feared they would reject her like her family had. Ino didn't know about what her family had done to her, but the blonde had commented on her father a couple of times in a dark fashion. Hinata would have defended her father if it wasn't for the fact that Ino's words rang true. Plus, her father didn't deserve her defence as 1) he could defend himself quite well and 2) simply because of the way he had treated her. She wanted to forget about everything her dad had done and love him like a daughter should, but there was no way to erase the pain he had caused her. It caused Hinata great sadness to know that her relationship with her father could never be like that of Ino's and Inoichi's. She prayed one day though, he would look at her with pride and accept her for who she was.

The delicious smell of cinnamon wafted around and Hinata looked at her friend pleadingly. Ino giggled at the blue hairs puppy eyes expression.

"Fine… We can go and get some." Ino giggled. Hinata opened her mouth. "I'll pay."

Hinata gave a smile, something she did only when she was around Ino and her family, and put away her purse. She knew who would win when arguing over who paid for the stuff; Ino had been victorious every time after all.

They went into the bakery and Hinata drooled a little as Ino ordered a medium cinnamon roll and a large chocolate chip cookie. The baker smiled and handed over the goods to the impatient blonde, whilst looking at Hinata with interest. Hinata drew back a little and so did the baker, noticing her discomfort. Ino carried out the transaction and then they were on their way again, nibbling on their treats.

The playground wasn't too full today despite it being a nice, sunny day (wasn't it always sunny in Konoha?). There were about 4 kids in total, all going different things.

One had black hair up in a pineapple like ponytail. He lay on the ground, just staring at the sky. Hinata got the impression this one was very lazy, yet had a hidden strength.

There was another boy next to him. There was a polite word to describe him. He was big-boned. He sat next to the lazy boy, snacking rapidly on crisps. He had honey brown hair that was spiked up and two distinctive red swirls on his cheeks.

They were being shouted at by another boy, one with spiky golden hair and eyes like little pieces of sky. His most defining character was the whisker like marks on either of his cheeks. Hinata wondered why, but she liked him immediately. He was shouting at the two other boys.

"Shikamaru-kun, Choji-kun, you are soooooo lazy! C'mon and play already!"

As Hinata got nearer, she heard the reply of the ponytail pineapple boy.

"Tch… Troublesome. I'd rather watch clouds. What about you, Choji-kun my friend?" He asked the larger boy next to him.

"I'm happy sitting and eating. Beef crisps will keep me happy for _ages_." The boy called Choji replied over his munching.

Another boy ran over to the group. His appearance was remotely wolfish, what with his brown shaggy hair and pointy canine teeth. He had bright red marks on either one of his cheeks. Hinata recognised them as a mark used by the Inuzuka Clan.

"Hey, Naruto-boke, you know they don't play properly!" the Inuzuka boy shouted.

"Can't help trying! C'mon Kiba-_baka_, play tag with me!" Naruto shouted back.

"Troublesome…" sighed the one who Hinata guessed was Shikamaru.

Naruto turned to Kiba, but then stopped and whipped right round to face both Ino and Hinata.

He, along with Kiba bounded up to the pair. Hinata instinctively hid herself behind Ino. Ino pulled her gently to face the two that were a little too close for the blue heads liking. The blonde boy was right in the girls' faces.

"Hey, I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm gonna be Hokage one day, believe it!" Naruto shouted loudly. Hinata stepped back a little from the power of his voice. Somehow, she wasn't too afraid of him, he reminded her of Ino just a little. Still, there were personal space boundaries, and he was going over them.

Kiba stepped up too, but he wasn't as in your face as Naruto. "Yo, I'm Kiba Inuzuka. What's your name?" he almost barked to Hinata.

"This is Hinata Hyuga guys. My new best friend! You better be nice to her or I will be on your case for like… Ever!" Ino threatened playfully.

Kiba stuck out his tongue at Ino and pulled her blonde hair.

"Hey, didn't your mother tell you not to do that!" Ino screeched whilst chasing the canine boy.

Hinata flinched at the word mother, and saw the boy called Naruto looking sad too. He was observing her carefully, but his eyes were pained.

"You too huh…" he whispered to her. She blushed in embarrassment and looked down in grief.

"Y-y-yes… About 3 w-week-weeks a-ago…" she mumbled back shyly.

"I didn't have any." Naruto commented, but then he brightened up again. Hinata was unsure, but she thought the smile was fake. Nevertheless, Hinata was in awe at him for putting on such a brave face.

"Well Hinata-chan, since Kiba's playing chase with Ino-chan, do you wanna play tag with me?" Naruto offered, hopefulness sparkling in his azure eyes.

"Y-yes… Ho-how do-do y-you pl-play?" Hinata asked, not meeting those bright eyes.

"How? Well, it's easy really! One person is on and the other person has to touch them and then that person is on!" Naruto explained. He tapped her arm. "See, you're on! Try and catch me!" the boy took off in a cloud of dust.

Baffled but thrilled that someone was actually playing with her, Hinata took off after him. He was quite nimble and made her chase him all over the playground, but Hinata had an advantage. She could use chakra.

After she had finished reading the Idiots Guide to herbs, she started on _Beginner Ninja: What is chakra?._ She had skimmed over the basics, but hadn't gone too far into it.

When she studied it properly, she found out many useful things. One being that chakra could be used for making yourself faster. She had tried it once when she was out on the town. She ran all the way to the flower shop putting chakra into her legs. She nearly collapsed when she got there, but Inoichi had been understanding and let her rest before calling his daughter out.

She didn't want to collapse in the playground, so she used her chakra wisely.

When she was in range of the blonde boy, she sent a stream of chakra to her legs. In turn, she acquired a burst of speed. She tapped the boy on the back and quickly ran away from him. After 10 minutes, Hinata was sweating buckets but her playmate was still raring to go.

_I-I t-t-think h-he's i-inhuman! _Hinata's mind whispered as the blonde swung on the monkeybar's energetically.

"C'mon Hinata-chan… You can't be tired already!" Naruto shouted.

"No worries Hinata-chan, he's always like this when he's found a new friend." Choji told her, still eating crisps. She wondered where all of them came from… And then she remembered she hadn't finished her cinnamon roll as she put it back in the paper bag when she neared the playground.

She flopped onto the floor and got it out again, watching Ino still chasing after Kiba. Naruto joined in their antics soon after, and was disappointed when the two stopped from tiredness.

She noticed that Choji eying up her treat and offered the quarter that was left to him. "H-here… Yo-you can h-have it…"

"Aha! Thank you!" Choji took what was left of the treat split a mouthful off and offered it up to Hinata, along with one of his beef crisps. "You bought the roll, therefore you should have the last bite, and heres why I like beef crisps so much!"

"T-th-thank you C-Choji-kun…" she thanked, taking the food. She popped the crisp into her mouth, savouring the meaty taste. Although still she preferred the sweet flakiness of her cinnamon roll better, the beef crisp was nothing to be sneered at.

"I-it's v-very nice… I-I s-see why yu-you like t-them…" She was about to eat the last bit of the cinnamon roll, when Choji held up a larger-than-average hand.

"Wait, I must finish this bit and _then_ you can have the last bite." He ate the entire thing in one almighty gulp, while Hinata's eyes boggled. When his mouth was clear, she was allowed to finally finish her treat.

Sometime later, the Kiba and Ino came to sit with Hinata, Shikamaru and Choji, completely out of breath. Naruto however, was still up and ready to go.

"Huff… H-have you been nice to H-Hinata-chan you t-two?" Ino panted.

"T-they have b-been v-very kind I-Ino-chan. C-Choji-kun s-shared his f-food with m-me…" Hinata answered for the two boys.

"Choji-kun sharing food… The world's coming to an end! Kidding Choji-kun!" Ino quickly joked at the rising red of Choji's face. Hinata shivered involuntarily, she had a feeling that they all were in grave danger.

"Hey, you guys come he- GET OFF!" Naruto screamed, as a black blur whisked him off his feet. Hinata was the first one to react.

"Please, we need to go after him!" Hinata spoke, for once not stuttering.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru sighed, but got to his feet.

The other two children said nothing, but nodded. In a flash, 4 scared children followed Naruto and his kidnapper into the forest.

_Kami-sama… Please, g-give me strength to save Naruto-kun! I can't lose another person! _Hinata prayed, sending a burst of chakra to her feet. She shot on ahead of the others, much to their surprise. Hinata's need to save her new friend over rid all her body's protests to stop. She was so frightened in for him, she didn't feel the pain of chakra exhaustion. The others, seeing her determination, sped up too somehow (even Shikamaru).

They all went deeper and deeper into the forest, whilst the sun set lower and lower. With the lowering sun came less light, and it became harder to see where they were going. On occasion, one of the toddlers tripped over a tree root, but they always got back up and ran again.

The group stopped when they got to a dark cave. Inside, they heard the sound of deep voices.

"W-we can't ju-just leave him in th-there…" Ino stuttered, shivering from fear.

"I-it's tr-troublesome… And t-the o-odds ar-are against us… But w-we can't abandon a f-friend in need…" Shikamaru gasped, clutching his side.

Choji nodded, so did Hinata. The four crept into the cave, Hinata using her wallflower technique to blend into the walls. It worked at home, why wouldn't it work here?

Unfortunately, she didn't succeed at becoming invisible and ended up being seized by strong hands. Rough rope grafted her skin and she screamed long and loud along with the others. Obviously they were being captured too.

"Well... Well… Well… Our plan worked perfectly, didn't it Fuuga…" a rough voice cackled.

"Yes… Our plans for power are coming to fruition. You did make sure that none of them had any special tricks up their sleeves?" a smooth voice inquired.

"Yupp… They're all useless… A Hyuga who can't use the Byakugan, a silly flower girl, a demon with no power, a weak little pup, a shadow with no motivation and a fat kid who eats all the time."

Choji boiled in rage at being called fat, but couldn't do anything as he was trussed up like a turkey and gagged.

"Good… I can't wait until I have their power… You did well, Fumio. I will be unstoppable… The eyes of the Byakugan, the senses of an Inuzuka, mind control from the Yamanaka, the power of the Akimichi and the shadows will do my bidding. Not to mention… The crown jewel… The chakra of the demon-brat…" Fuuga laughed manically. "Fumio, when you are done extracting their powers, kill them, apart from the demon child. You will be paid well."

"Let's start then men shall we?" the rough voice that belonged to Fumio cheered. The sounds more than one man cheered back.

Hinata heard footsteps approach her. She cursed herself, this wasn't meant to happen. She was supposed to protect her precious people… Not get them into trouble.

Sitting there, she realised her father was right. She was weak and useless. If only, if only she could save her friends. Nothing else mattered, not even her own life.

_I would gladly die if they were to be spared… It would give my useless existence meaning if I died for them. _Those were the thoughts that Hinata thought were going to be her last.

Then, everything changed.

All of a sudden, she could _see._

The world was in plain black and white. She wasn't tied up at all, she was sat on the forest floor next to her friends, who were shaking and stiff, as if they were tied up by invisible bonds.

There was 4 gruff looking men approaching them, and Hinata could see their chakra systems. She could even see 6 tenketsu points; one on each arm, one of the head, one on the chest and one on either leg. Not only that, she could see everything around her; her range of vision stretched all around her and beyond into the forest. It went all the way back to the playground, where 4 adults were stood. There were 3 men, one she recognised as Inoichi, and one woman who looked like Kiba. She, unlike the men beside her, looked furious instead of worried.

_The B-Byakugan… But why? _Hinata whispered to herself in awe. But that wasn't the problem right now. The problem was, was that her friends were still caught in some sort of illusion. She had to break it. But how?

In her range of vision, a slender man stood, hands formed in the Snake sign. She honed in on him, and felt his chakra disturbing the air around him. He was the creator of that terrible genjutsu.

Back at the playground, the scary looking woman suddenly shouted, and the fathers dashed off into the forest, heading their way.

_They won't get here in time… I-I have to do something! _Concentrating harder, she was able to see the waves of chakra surrounding her friends. She could feel it; too, it was like a niggling little pulse of _something_. Suddenly, the chakra waves surrounding Shikamaru disappeared, and he looked straight at her and gasped for some reason.

But she didn't bother with that now. She was trying to get rid of the little pulse she could feel. She pushed it away with her mind, and she saw the waves change direction, heading towards the cruel men. All at once, her friends relaxed and the rough looking kidnappers fell to the ground as if bound up like chickens.

Her black and white world of clarity reverted back to normal. Everything was in colour again as the parents entered the clearing.

Her vision started going hazy, and then black. The last thing she heard was her name.

xXx

"I agree with my son, the Byakugan was nearly stolen and she was too weak to escape or activate it. It was by the mercy of Kami that the genjutsu rebounded on the enemies allies. That child hasn't even activated the Byakugan so it leaves it there for the taking!" The voice of her grandfather rang out. "We were lucky this time, but what if it happens again? The Byakugan cannot be stolen by the enemies of Konoha!"

Murmurs of agreement echoed through the Hyuga council chambers. Hinata listened carefully; keeping still on what she guessed was the floor. All the events came rushing back.

_I-I h-have m-my By-Byakugan… It-its strange though… I thought there w-was a bli-blind spot? M-maybe it's a m-myth? _Hinata's ears perked up as the mumbles of approval stopped abruptly.

"So be it. The Cursed Seal it is." Hinata inhaled deeply as her world came crashing down. She was going to be stripped of her title of Heiress and placed in a Branch family. Among execution, placing a Cured Seal on a Main Family member was the worst punishment available. It was degrading, humiliating, to be considered so weak that she needed a safeguard in case her Byakugan was taken. Unlike the Branch Members whose fate was decided the minute their father's were born, Hinata had had a chance to prevent this from happening. If only she had impressed her 'father', this whole occurrence wouldn't have come about. But… It was too late.

"I will do it." Her father offered. No one protested. She knew her father thought she was weak, but to go as far as placing the Seal that would remove her from the Main Family… Her 'father' must truly hate her. Hinata's fragile hopes of her 'father' acknowledging her existence as an equal were shattered, and her will to become strong burned harder than ever.

_I don't need to become strong for them anyway… That feeling… Of saving my friends… Was far more precious than any memory my family had given me!_

Hinata was shaken roughly. She snapped her eyes open and looked at the cruelly smiling face of the man that she could no longer call her 'father'. What he was going to do to her, and _smiling _about it… That wasn't her father. That was the work of a _true_ demon.

"Well Hinata… It seems _my plans _have succeeded." He whispered harshly. Hinata's mind whirred, but she couldn't think straight. "You really thought you could sneak around the _Hyuga _house without being noticed. You are more stupid than I first thought." He smirked. "Sneaking around… Stealing like a common thief… I thought I taught you manners." He spat in front of her. "I knew what you were doing all along. You were studying herbs. _Herbs. _The Heiress to the Hyuga Clan was studying something as stupid as herbology. That is for the Branch Members… The ones that serve us. You serve us now, _slave_." He chuckled lowly, but then his face went icy again. "I saw how weak you were from the beginning and tried to get the Seal Placed on you earlier. But… The Clan needed another heir to take your place, and so… Hanabi was born. I thought that would be enough to remove you of your status." Hiashi glared. "But no, the Council still thought you should be given a chance to prove yourself, that maybe a sister would provide competition for you. And then… You were kidnapped by those damned Kumo thieves… and they took my wife from me." His fists became white, but he reached for the ink pot that was near him. He dipped the brush into the ink and pulled up Hinata's shirt. She was laid on her back, and her father began painting the Seal on the small of her back. "But still… The Council was on your side. Since that Kumo Nin was able to infiltrate our compound and kill my wife, they thought that you stood no chance even if you were able to defend yourself like I wanted my child to." Hiashi sneered as he continued to ruin the girl's life with that disgusting Seal. "And then you began sneaking around. At first, I thought it was you wanted to please me, but when I found out what you were really doing… I didn't care anymore. I wanted you gone again. So I let you roam around Konoha." Hinata couldn't shake in fear and disgust as her body was frozen. Her own_ father_ plotted to get rid of her. "It was only a matter of time before someone tried to take the legendary Byakugan. I was right. This time… The Council agreed. You are a liability, a failure and a waste of space. You never should have been born."

The strokes of the paintbrush stopped and Hiashi whirred through hand signs. "Sealing Art: Cursed Seal of the Branch!" a searing pain shot through Hinata, radiating from her lower back.

The man she couldn't even recognise anymore chuckled at her obvious pain. "You're probably wondering why I placed it on your lower back… The spine controls the nerves in your body does it not? Well, _my_ Seal will activate all the nerves at once in your body… Causing blinding pain and then… Your body will attack itself until it destroys itself and the Byakugan will remain safe." The man stood and walked away from the child whose physical pain had gone, but mental anguish remained. The Hyuga council looked a little disgusted at Hiashi, but no one dared question his actions. Because no one wanted to end up like the girl crying on the floor.

xXx

Boke- Mean idiot in Japanese.


	5. Chapter 4

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Hello people xx Keep reviewing (especially you Arvarno, you make my stories better!) it actually gives me inspiration! Alright, I have seen a review about a harem… I mean, yeah, lets do it but _who, _that is the big question. Suggestions please but I'm not gonna have her getting guys left right and centre because other girls need pairings too xx

Chapter 4

Loud, unending sobs wracked Hinata's body, and through her blurred vision, she saw her ex-family turn away. But, she didn't think much of that.

She didn't think much of anything; her thoughts were preoccupied with crying the tears out of her system. She was getting rid of the pain and the heartbreak through the salty orbs that leaked out of her snowy lavender eyes.

The Curse Mark didn't burn like it had when it had first been inked onto her skin, but even if it did she wouldn't have felt it. Too much hurt came from inside of her, and no external wound could ever feel like this, it was unnatural for something to _hurt_ this much. If there was a choice between this pain and being burnt alive, she would have chosen the blistering flames in a heartbeat. Not only would it hurt less, but it would be over quickly. But she couldn't do that really, that would be giving up and going against everything she had stood for over the past few eventful weeks. However, this pain she felt so deeply… was going to last forever. The main wound might heal with time, but the scars left on her memory would be ugly and twisted, and they would hurt every time she thought about her family, or anything to do with her family.

And yet… She remained pure. Her resolve didn't change; she was going to get strong. But unlike so many, her mind didn't harbour sick, gruesome thoughts of revenge. She _wouldn't_ turn to vengeance. This, more than anything, only added fuel to her already burning desire to become strong to prove her worth to people. Her family had been erased from that list now, if she did manage to impress them one day, she would turn away their offers of coming back into the Clan, just like they had turned away from her.

She was going to continue to train hard, but first, she had to _get out._

She knew she couldn't live in the Main Household for much longer as they wouldn't allow it and having to see her ex-family every day would torture her mind further. She had to get the terrible feelings out of her system first.

She cried until there were no more tears left to cry. She felt broken, alone and afraid, but there was _no way _she was going to give up now.

_I-I managed to h-he-heal my-myself from fathe… Hiashi-s-sama's t-training, sn-sneak o-out of th-the H-Hyuga com-compound a-and I ha-have saved my fr-friends… I can do this! _She told herself, over and over again. Her eyes were aching and her head felt hot and heavy, but she could move, albeit very slowly.

The girl crawled to her feet, letting out a small whine of pain because she had fallen unconscious in an awkward position. Very slowly, the blue head bent and flexed each one of her muscles until they loosened up. When her muscles were relaxed, she thought of a plan.

_O-ok… I n-n-need t-to ta-take my st-stuff w-w-with me… W-who kn-knows when I-I will b-be ab-able to f-find a b-bed a-again. B-but I can't c-carry that…_

An idea sparked in her exhausted mind. She knew her way around the house, and she only needed 2 things to pack up her stuff. Then, she could finally be free of then place she had once grudgingly called her 'home'. It involved stealing, but right now, Hinata just _didn't care. _If she lived through this, she would pay the money back one day.

Hinata shuffled her small body through the wide halls, navigating her way through the maze that is the Hyuga house. She got to her destination without meeting anyone as she checked that the coast was clear every time she turned a corner. Her habit of checking who was around wasn't really a habit anymore, it was a necessity. Before this 'attack' Hinata was simply nervous. Now she is paranoid.

With a dulled excitement, Hinata remembered she could see through doors now due to her awakened Byakugan. She would only use it for a second, Hiashi-sama had told her that hiding things was impossible in the Hyuga house and she didn't particularly want anyone finding out about her bloodline's appearance. Not after she had just been thrown out of the Clan.

Focusing a large stream of her chakra to her eyes, she made the Snake hand sign, and everything became perfectly clear.

Inside the now black and white library she couldn't detect any chakra systems. She feared someone had already seen her, so she deactivated her kekki-genki and went inside.

The Hyuga library was impressive, there was about 20 shelves going upwards with books on just about any subject. From little used kids stories to tattered from use (or just fresh as some books were replaced when they had gotten too shabby) text books, if there was a topic, the Hyuga library had it.

Hinata took a good look around the big room; it held one of her better memories. Hiashi had taught her to read and write in this room when she was three. Yes, he had been an impatient teacher (as he had been with her 'training'), but he did start off small. He rarely read any stories to her to help her progress, relying on her to figure out the words herself mostly, but that was OK as the things Hinata managed to read and write she felt very proud of. Hopefully Hiashi had been a little proud that she had learnt so quickly, but Hinata didn't count on it.

She headed straight for the large section on Sealing. They had an extensive collection on Seals, but hardly any Hyuga used them. It was apparently one of the hardest ninja arts to master, because you had to remember all of the Seal compositions and such.

She took a look at the beginner section, and found a book on basic Sealing. She took it, along with a fairly large blank scroll.

She rushed back to her 'room' for what would be the last time. Apart from the library, her room was the only place she was remotely fond of. It was where she learnt to heal her wounds, where she had studied, where she had read to herself, where she could get away from everything. She could seal herself shut in her room for hours on end and not feel bored. She could come in here knowing her 'father' wouldn't follow, he hadn't even stepped a single foot in her room, _ever. _Maybe he never cared about her since birth, or maybe he was too lazy; Hinata didn't know, and now, she probably never would.

Hinata took a fond glance around her room, and then saw a sheet of paper on the bed. Shaking a little, the girl picked it up.

_Hinata_

_Not only have you been banished from the Head House, but from the Clan too. You are no longer a Hyuga, and you have a day to pack up and leave my house. Because you are not a Hyuga, you are not allowed to use our last name. Change it._

_What you do next is your concern, not mine. I do not care for you, I never did and I never will. Remember that._

_Head of the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi_

Tears threatened to fall as the girl read and re-read the paper that proved her father didn't care at all. She would have to change her last name and move, but she was going to do the second thing anyway. Biting her lip, she forced back the tears. She wouldn't spill another tear over Hiashi or the Main Branch.

She folded the paper carefully and placed it in her dirty kimono pocket (no one had changed her clothes since the kidnap). But then, she undressed and had a quick shower, she didn't know when exactly she would have running water again either.

Dressing in a new kimono (and placing the note in that pocket) she settled down and studied the book that would help her finally leave this place.

The book explained the simple definition of a Seal and some of its uses, and then some simple Seals that someone could try out. There was one called _Scroll Sealing_, which looked like it would solve her problem. All you had to do was paint out the formula for the seal in a circle and then touch the inanimate object that you wanted to seal away with the paper. Then, you flushed your chakra through it and it would seal the object away. To break the seal, you run your chakra back through the seal.

The only problem was is that you couldn't seal more than one thing into that formula, so it would require her to write out a new formula for each thing she wanted to take.

Hinata sighed but got to work straight away. She grabbed an ink pot from somewhere in her room and began to paint out the seal formula carefully. It took her five minutes to do the first one, and she suspected she made a few mistakes. Nevertheless, when she touched her bed with the paper and ran her chakra through it, the bed disappeared and inside the seal circle was the kanji for bed.

She continued to work for 3 hours, writing out the same formula on a different bit of paper and then sealing her possessions inside them. It didn't take up too much of her chakra, but over a long period of time it did wear away at her energy. The good thing was, she was getting faster and more fluid with the ink brush each time she wrote out the Scroll Seal.

When her room was bare (she ended up sealing everything into that scroll), she was sweating profusely and suffering from slight chakra exhaustion. But something propelled the girl to her feet. That something was determination. Chakra had gotten her through the first part of her escape, now all that was left was her will. Sheer willpower gave her the strength to run out of her house. The blue headed girl didn't look back, not even when the guards called her name.

She kept running until her body forced her to stop. Her throat was dry from the rasping breaths she took, her legs were pounding and a sharp pain stabbed in the side of her belly from stitch. She clutched at her side, trying to think about where she was going to live over the pain she felt.

She would have gone to see Inoichi, but… It would be rude to impose on their happy lives with her troubles, and not only that, they would demand an explanation as to why she wanted to live there. _A-and I w-would give in… And th-they would b-be ashamed a-about how w-we-weak I a-am… No! _Hinata sternly told herself. _I need to stop thinking like that! H-however… Going to l-live with Ino-chan a-and her f-family… I-is out of t-the question… Who says I-I need t-to be l-looked after a-anyway… I l-looked after my-myself at home… No, at the compound…_

And so, the newly homeless girl trotted off to the one person who had the power to sort this mess out; or at least help her find a home. She went to the Hokage offices.

She had seen him once; he was an old, grandfatherly man who had been ever so polite to her. Although she didn't really know the ruler of Konoha well, she trusted her impression of him, it was good.

There wasn't a guard at the entrance, but there was a receptionist inside.

She was plump, with badly dyed red hair and piercing blue eyes. She looked like a very nosy woman.

"May I help you dear?" she asked kindly, but Hinata was sure it was fake. For some reason, she didn't get good vibes from this woman. She shuddered just a little, but got replied anyway.

"W-well m-ma'am, I-I need to speak t-to the Hokage… About a-a family m-m-matter p-please." She softly asked. She would have sighed at herself for stuttering, that _had _to go, but it would seem rude to sigh at someone for no apparent reason.

"Well, aren't you the cutest little thing! Go right ahead dear, it's been quite the slow day!" the receptionist almost squealed. Hinata was unsure about this woman now, she was loud and quite… she couldn't put a kind word to it, so she didn't put a word to it. She seemed to be kind, but she still got a bad feeling about her. She shrugged it off as paranoia, she didn't like to admit it, but she didn't trust a lot of people right now.

She bowed low to the receptionist, who actually did squeal this time. Using her bangs to cover her cringe at the loud, shrill noise, she wandered off down the halls. There were helpful signs pointing to the Hokage's Office, which she followed.

Very soon, she was outside the door. She knocked twice before hearing 'enter'. She stepped inside and was greeted to the sight of the old Hokage, in his official robes, doing what looked like paperwork. He gestured for her to sit down.

She did, and began to tell her life story.

xXx

"So basically, you had gruelling training lessons with Hiashi-san but there was little progress, so he plotted to remove you from the Clan. You have a sister that you are forbidden to see and your mother is dead. You've been kidnapped twice and you had to look after yourself on the second occasion. And now, they have placed a _Cursed Seal_ on you?" the Hokage summed up, looking stony faced.

Hinata nodded shyly. She had told him everything, apart from how she was ignored at home and her training (with herbs and chakra etc).

"Come here." The Hokage commanded. Hinata shook in fear. Was he angry at her too?

She slowly shuffled over to the man. When she was before him, he placed his arms around her in a grandfatherly hug. She stiffened at the contact, but eventually relaxed in the old man's arms. Tears welled to her eyes at the sign of simple affection. It was something she only got from Ino, but never from an adult.

"I thought you might need one." Is all he said before he released her from the embrace. She missed the warmth, but went back to her seat.

"Hinata-chan. Please… do not blame yourself for this. You are a four year old girl, not a strong, grown-up kunoichi. You didn't need training lessons every day; you needed someone to be there for you. And no one was, were they?" he asked gently.

"T-that's n-not tr-true Hokage-sama… I h-had I-Ino and h-her family, and my f-friends…" she whispered.

"But… They didn't live in your house. It's very good that you have friends though. Out of curiosity, who are they?"

"K-Kiba-kun, Shika-Shikamaru-k-kun, Choji-ku-kun and N-Naruto-kun."

"Naruto eh? Good, he needs a friend as much as you do." The Hokage clasped his hands together in a businesslike manner. "Hinata-chan, your father had not technically done anything illegal, you were his daughter and Heiress to the Clan. Those training methods have been there since the Clan first begun. Maybe in gentler forms, but sparring was the number one way to improve fighting skill, for the Hyuga's anyway. No matter how rough he was with you, he didn't kill you so it's not illegal." Sarutobi's face saddened. "As for your disownment, that is not illegal either. But, there has never been a person who has been thrown out of the Clan altogether before, you are the first one to be exiled completely. Therefore, there are no rules as to what you can and can't use. You can still use the Hyuga techniques and learn them, there are no laws stating that you can't."

"I-I don't wa-want my fa-father to get i-into trouble… I d-don't w-want to d-deal with h-him again…" Hinata said, raising her head just a little. She didn't want to get her father into trouble; it was his choice to throw her out. And anyway, it wasn't illegal. Well, what Hinata didn't know, is that it _was._

"I understand." The Hokage replied lowly. "Now, you have to change your last name and find a new home. Any suggestions Hinata-chan?"

"W-well sir… I-I don't w-want a-a-anyone finding out a-about my disownment un-until I am r-ready… So I wan-want my name to s-sound the s-same, but b-be spelt di-different."

"Ah… I see. No one will know of this, this matter is between me and you. As for your last name… How about Hiuga? Spelt h-i-u-g-a?" The Hokage suggested. Hinata nodded, it sounded exactly like her last name; no one would know unless she wrote it down.

"As for your living arrangement…"

Hinata dared to interrupt. "P-please sir… I w-want to l-live on my own…"

"Hinata-chan, you can't take care of yourself, it's not right." The Hokage protested.

"S-sir, I know h-how to r-read and wr-write, I can c-cook, cl-clean and ma-make medicine… I will b-be f-f-fine…" Hinata informed shyly.

The old man's eyes widened. "You can do all that?"

"Y-yes sir… My f-family ig-ignored me s-so I had t-to take c-care of my-myself… I-I'm qu-quite used to i-it."

Sarutobi frowned, and then sighed. "You want to live on your own? No. You can live with someone else." The Hokage perked up a little. "And I know just who. They are coming now."

Suddenly, someone burst through the door.

"Hey, jiji-san, so where am I gonna live now then? Hey Hinata-chan!"

The figure of Naruto stood there in all his small, orange* glory. Hinata gasped, she was going to…?

"Naruto-kun, you've been begging me for ages for an apartment. Well, now's your chance." The Hokage explained slowly.

Naruto jumped up and down, laughing loudly. "SO COOL OLD MAN!"

Hinata giggled a little, forgetting about her worries for a moment. It was nice to be carefree, even if it were only for a few seconds.

"Naruto-kun…" the Hokage said, trying to get the excitable boys attention. And failing miserably. "Naruto-kun!" the Hokage rang out, but still the boy took no notice. "NARUTO!" the Hokage shouted, his head inflating up like a balloon**. Hinata shrank back at the huge, comic head of the village leader.

Naruto stopped and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry, jiji, you say something?"

"I want to." The Hokage cleared his throat. "Naruto-kun, does Hinata know about your parents?"

"Yupp. I told her 'cuz she…" he stopped and looked at her sadly.

"I-it's ok Naruto-k-kun… H-he knows." Hinata reassured. The blonde flashed a small smile and turned back to the Hokage.

"Yeah, she knows. Why?"

"Alright. Hinata-chan, Naruto-kun here lived in an orphanage."

"Yeah, it was rubbish old man." Naruto muttered, and the small blue head detected guilt in the Hokage's eyes.

"I know Naruto-kun…" he sighed. "Anyway… he got thrown out of the orphanage after he was kidnapped. The owners used the kidnapping as an excuse to get rid of him; they said it was too dangerous to have him around with people after him."

Hinata felt outraged for her friend. _What a stupid excuse. This is a ninja village, we are not sitting duckies! _Hinata calmed down a little when she saw Naruto grinning.

"Yeah, well I didn't like it there anyway. I'm glad I got chucked out, believe it." He said happily, still smiling.

"Yes… And I was going to find him another orphanage to live in, but lo and behold, you turned up. So, if you would be happy with it, you will be living with Naruto-kun in a basic apartment that I will provide and pay for."

"Whoa jiji… I am gonna be living with Hinata-chan? That. Is. AWESOME! BELIEVE IT!" he sang, doing a little happy dance.

Hinata beamed as an unfamiliar feeling rose up deep inside her chest. _N-Naruto-kun wants you… He likes you… _

"Yes Naruto-kun, Hinata will be living with you if she likes that." Hinata quickly nodded, still smiling a little. "Good. Alright, I will send someone to check up on you every day. Hinata-chan… I know this will be hard considering your age, but please help Naruto-kun. He is mostly independent, but he can't do everything. I trust you know what you are doing?" Hinata nodded again, infected by the excitement her new room mate was giving off.

"Alright then!" the powerful old man rose, grabbing is pipe as he did so. "I'll show you to your house, after one last thing. Hinata, why did you seal your possessions inside that scroll?"

Hinata nearly fainted. _O-oh d-de-dear… H-he's go-going t-to tell… _"W-well s-sir… I d-d-didn't k-know wh-when I w-was going t-to f-find a-a b-bed a-again…"

"I see… Hinata-chan, I'm not telling you off, I understand your reasons. But, you need to pay back for what you stole. With your permission, I would like to enrol you for the ninja academy so when you graduate, you can pay off your debt via missions." Naruto opened his mouth. "Don't worry Naruto-kun; I've already signed you up. If you accept Hinata-chan, you will start ninja training age six, along with everyone else."

"Next step, HOKAGE!" Naruto whooped, his fist flying in the air.

"S-sir… I a-accept… I-I wanted t-to be a n-ninja anyway…" Hinata said, meeting the brown eyes of the Hokage.

Sarutobi was a little surprised by the determination in Hinata's pale eyes. He hadn't seen that in her before until now. _Is there something I am missing here…? I don't check on the Hyuga too often, they get annoyed… How exactly did she save her friends anyway, or seal her stuff into that scroll… The sealing is Genin level or higher and… I don't think that Genjutsu rebounded on the enemy's allies by itself… Hinata-chan… What are you doing? _The Hokage pondered deeply.

Hinata noticed the Hokage staring a little at her, and she turned her expression back to before, meek and scared. _I c-can't s-share my promise j-just yet. I m-must be c-careful… _Hinata had once overheard her father cursing the Hokage (she was shocked that he would do such a thing as to insult the most powerful man in the village) because he could see what everyone was doing from 'that blasted crystal ball' as her father had put it (in a slightly more colourful way).

The leader of Konoha and Naruto had already gone out of the door, and she followed quietly behind.

The red-haired receptionist glared icily at Naruto when she passed.

"Hokage-sama, I tried to stop that little brat from wasting your time… I am deeply sorry if he wasted your precious time with his idiotic ways." The receptionist sneered at the orange clad boy.

Hinata shuddered; she had been right about this woman. And then, she felt undiluted anger towards her. Before the Hokage could reprimand the woman, Hinata was before her in all her small, angry glory.

"_Excuse me _lady, did you just insult my friend? I swear by my name, Hinata Hiuga, that if you don't apologise to him, I _will _make you." Hinata was shocked at herself; her tone was cold and collected like her father had used so often. Of course, the lady didn't know that she wasn't a real Hyuga anymore; all she thought was that she had just insulted a friend of one of the most prominent Clans in all of Konoha. The red-head apologised in a hurry, and bid them all good day.

Hinata walked out of the office, still shocked at herself. She felt pride for standing up for Naruto like that (she would never have done it for herself) but felt ashamed that she had stooped so low as to use her 'name' to scare her, and the fact that she had _threatened _someone. _One day… I-I wi-will be a-able to command r-respect because of w-who I am… N-not from m-my name… I will do it on my own terms, not by fear, by true respect!_

Meanwhile, as the three strolled down the town, to males were deep in thought.

_I can't believe she stood up for me like that! I mean, no ones done that before… I kinda got used to the… things people say. I have to make it up to her, believe it! _Naruto thought, looking at Hinata in gratitude. He didn't know _why _people were so mean to him, but one day he _would _find out.

_That tone… She must have picked it up from her father… I don't like dealing with Hiashi-sans moods, so that woman… She stood no chance. I'm just wondering… Why did Hinata-chan do it? The child is very quiet… She is kind… And so polite to all she meets… I'm not saying that receptionist didn't deserve the girl's' wrath, I was about to reprimand her myself but… _The Hokage shook his aged head. _That girl is a riddle wrapped up in a mystery._

The three arrived outside a small but relatively clean block of apartments. They went up to the 3rd floor, room 21.

"Okay, you two, I will leave you to get settled in. Please, don't hesitate to visit me if you have any questions or need help."

"T-thank you H-Hokage-sama..." Hinata thanked, bowing deeply.

"Cheers old man, I'll buy you ramen sometime!" Naruto said, grinning.

The old man smiled gently at the pair before vanishing in a poof of smoke.

Hinata expected an awkward silence, but there was none. Naruto engaged her in happy conversation about ramen, and was comically appalled when she said she hadn't tried it before. He asked her to come to the Itchiraku ramen stand after they had moved in.

"S-sure N-Naruto-kun…" she blushed as a warm feeling rose up from the pit of her stomach.

They went into the apartment (Hinata first as Naruto insisted ladies first) to find it was simple and quite plain, but perfectly clean and had all the amenities.

The water was clean, the fridge stocked and the place spotless. There was a small but useable kitchen, 3 rooms (probably bedrooms) and through an open door Hinata saw a bathroom. It was a house, but with some time and work, Hinata would be able to make it a cozy little home to come to after the end of a long day.

"Oh… My… Kami… This place is AMAZING BELIEVE IT!" Naruto danced around the apartment, whilst Hinata looked on sadly. This place was OK; nothing to write home about, but Naruto was treating it like a palace. She worried over what he had been through, but shook herself and tapped him on the shoulder.

He stopped dancing and whipped round.

"N-Naruto-kun… Which r-room w-would you like?" she asked shyly.

He pointed to a random room. "I have a good feeling about that one."

He trotted off, opened the door and shouted. "Alright, maybe not! There's no furniture!" He went to the door next to it, and peered inside. "I claim this one!"

"A-alright N-Naruto-kun… I'll t-take the em-empty r-room." Before Naruto could ask why, Hinata spoke. "I h-have a-all my th-things w-with me s-so…"

"Ahhh right then! I leave you for a bit, but then we've gotta go to Itchiraku's 'cuz it's the best place in the whole wide world, believe me!" Naruto chattered, before disappearing into his room.

Hinata went into the empty room. It had light brown walls and a wooden floor. It was small, but when Hinata unsealed all her things and arranged them, they fit in perfectly.

The room looked more like a study with all the herbs, scrolls and of course the bookshelf; the only things that made it look like a bedroom were the wardrobe and the futon. But Hinata didn't care, this was her home now and it almost matched her old bedroom apart from her old one had an en suite, was a little bigger and had purple walls and a carpet.

She changed into a smarter, purple kimono with dark purple pumps and brushed her hair out. She then went to the bathroom and washed her face. Yes, it was a ramen shack, but she couldn't go out looking like a mess.

_T-training tomorrow… b-but t-today… I-I'll try t-to fo-forget wh-what happened…_

She knocked on Naruto's bedroom door and the blonde emerged, looking smart even though he wore only a simple white shirt and brown combat trousers.

They went out of the door together, Naruto filling in the silence with his excited chitchat.

Her new, free life had begun.

xXx

_**Omake**_

Shikamaru was puzzled. For a Nara, that was frustrating since they were the best puzzle solvers, end of story.

But this puzzle, or puzzles, infuriated the Nara heir. To him, the answer was waving itself in his face, but he couldn't quite grasp it. When he neared to breaking the mysteries, the answer slipped away from his mind like a darting fish in a river.

The puzzles in question were Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga.

Naruto's kidnapping had imprinted itself deeply on Shikamaru's memory, not because of the shock of it all. No, it was what those thugs had called Naruto.

_**Flashback**_

"_Yupp… They're all useless… A Hyuga who can't use the Byakugan, a silly flower girl, a demon with no power, a weak little pup, a shadow with no motivation and a fat kid who eats all the time."_

_Choji boiled in rage at being called fat, but couldn't do anything as he was trussed up like a turkey and gagged._

"_Good… I can't wait until I have their power… You did well, Fumio. I will be unstoppable… The eyes of the Byakugan, the senses of an Inuzuka, mind control from the Yamanaka, the power of the Akimichi and the shadows will do my bidding. Not to mention… The crown jewel… The chakra of the demon-brat…" Fuuga laughed manically. "Fumio, when you are done extracting their powers, kill them, apart from the demon child. You will be paid well."_

_**End flashback**_

Demon-brat, demon child. There were no demons in this village, save the civilian council.

The only demon he could possibly come up with was the 9 Tailed Fox. But that was killed by the 4th Hokage, at the cost of his own life. So everyone was told.

But, it was the _chakra_ of a demon that man had wanted, which led him to believe, well… Someone had been lying.

Shikamaru took a walk, going to his favourite spot on the balcony. He spotted the two enigma's heading into the Itchiraku ramen shop together, but Shikamaru payed no heed as to why they were together. He was trying to get his thoughts in order.

He lay down and watched the orange sky, along with the fluffy, greyish clouds that drifted past.

_If only I were a cloud… Clouds don't worry about strange demons… Or girls with glowing eyes. _Shikamaru thought enviously.

The girl with the glowing eyes was Hinata, the other puzzle. He had been told she didn't have the Byakugan, but… That wasn't true either.

Shikamaru knew what the Byakugan looked like when activated. Veins appeared at the sides of the head, increasing blood flow to the eyes.

Hinata had no such veins. Her eyes had _glowed_ with an angelic, lavender light. When he had figured out it was a genjutsu binding him, he released himself from it and saw her.

He had no idea what her power was, but something deep inside told him he shouldn't say a word, for Hinata's sake. So, really, although it plagued his mind relentlessly, he didn't go too far into it. He would find out one day, she couldn't keep it forever.

So, back to Naruto.

Shikamaru really thought he was onto something with the 9 Tailed theory. _When was Naruto-kun's birthday…? _His world ground to a halt.

The 10th of October. The same day as the Kyuubi attack on the village. The Fox Demon wasn't dead. Naruto… was its container…

His mind went haywire. Suddenly, all the looks of hate directed at Naruto, all the times when Naruto had been out shopping and the prices were raised, what those thugs had said, it all made perfect _sense._

There was no way he could really find out for sure, the adults of the village had kept this a secret for a reason, and he doubted Naruto knew. Shikamaru thought that was unfair on Naruto, him not knowing why he was the person people loved to hate, but… Shikamaru doubted Naruto would be able to keep a massive secret like that without telling anyone. The bigger and darker a secret is, the more pressure it puts on someone's mind. Under pressure, things crack.

Shikamaru knew he wouldn't be able to deal with this on his own. He needed someone to talk to, someone who would be able to give a new perspective on his theory. Someone he trusted.

A certain Akimichi came to mind.

The pineapple haired boy slowly rise from the floor and went to see his best friend. He knew Choji wouldn't tell, but he couldn't help fearing…

He had found out at the age of four, where his mind wasn't properly developed, meaning his IQ was about that of a smart 12 year old. People in this village, even children, aren't entirely ignorant to the world around them. One day, the younger generation of Konoha would find out about what Naruto really was. And they would be afraid of him, like the adults of Konoha were now. The genius child wasn't afraid of Naruto, the blonde was nothing more than a victim, and Shikamaru knew the Seal that would hold the Fox inside Naruto would be extremely powerful. But others… Wouldn't see it that way. They would find out, and abuse would rain down on him hard like a merciless, thundering storm.

Shikamaru vowed to stand by the loud blonde if they did.

xXx

*When I say orange, I mean Naruto is wearing an orange T-shirt.

**Ya know, the jutsu Iruka uses in Episode 1 of Naruto to tell Naruto off


	6. Chapter 5

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Hiya xx Wow… The reviews! I found out how to view hits and well… Kinda shocked! I have 953 hits! I was like… people have gone through the chapters of my little story 953 times over a week! The reviews have been great, not one flamer (there's still time ).

Alright, I've had a message about bashing. Bashing… Hmmm, honestly, readers, I don't know whether I should do it. I don't want this story to be dark all the time, so only two or three people would be bashed if I decided to put it in.

Note: 100 ryo = £1, $1, 1 euro Etc.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling, onto the story xx

xXx

Chapter 5

_6 months later…_

A young blue haired girl pottered around in the small but bright kitchen of her shared apartment, carefully checking that her potion hadn't over boiled.

Hinata Hyuga added one last ingredient before bottling up the honey liquid, then, she got ready to go out into the freezing November snow.

She, as well as Naruto, had come far in the past 6 months. Naruto was a lot slower at grasping things than her, as he needed simplified explanations for things, such as why he couldn't rush out and do jutsu straight away…

_Flashback (5 months ago…)_

"_Hinata-chan, what are you doing?" Hinata's blonde haired room mate stood over her, watching what she was doing with intense sky blue eyes._

_Hinata nearly screamed in shock, the blonde was very stealthy when he wanted to be. "N-Naruto-k-kun… I a-am t-training…"_

"_Ohh… So that's why you're sat there cutting herby things up with no knife… How?" Naruto asked, plopping onto the floor beside her._

"_W-well N-Naruto-kun… I am u-using my cha-chakra." Hinata replied shyly, slicing another bit of herb with her chakra powered fingertip. It was a regular exercise that she practised that improved chakra control and if you did it for an extended period of time (like Hinata did), it would build up your chakra reserves too. And it was easier than using a knife to her._

"_I know what chakra is! But… How do you get it from your finger tip?" Naruto questioned, looking at his own, tanned fingers._

"_W-well… Th-there are t-things c-called c-chakra c-coils i-in your b-body a-and yo-you send c-chakra down th-them to d-do j-jutsu a-and o-other exercises." Hinata explained quietly._

"_Huh?" the tanned toddler looked stumped. Hinata thought hard to find an explanation to make things very simple for Naruto. She found the answer by looking at a lamp._

"_W-well Naruto-kun, t-think o-of that l-lamp a-as my f-fingertip…" Hinata stood and pointed to a small table lamp next to the sofa. "T-these wi-wires w-would be your c-chakra c-coils…" Hinata grabbed the wire attached to the lamp, and then followed it back to the mains electricity. "And t-the p-power s-socket w-would be w-where y-your chakra c-came f-from."_

"_I get it now! So the plug socket would be this," Naruto pointed to where his heart was. "Because that is where chakra comes from. The wires would be my chakra coils and that would carry chakra down to my finger tip, the lamp! That's COOL!" the boy got onto his knees and put on a puppy dog face. "Please teach me!"_

_Hinata blushed, but nodded slightly. Naruto suddenly shot off the floor and pulled her into a hug. Hinata flinched at the contact, she didn't really trust people much anymore. All the work that she had done to get rid of her stutter had crumbled when she was thrown out of the clan, and her personal space 'bubble' had gotten bigger._

_But Naruto hadn't been taught about people wanting their space, and Hinata didn't have the heart to tell him that sometimes, you have to ask for hugs, especially from people like her. However, with time and work, Hinata knew she would be able to talk without looking like a stuttering fool and be able to touch people without fearing what they were going to do to her, not only physically, but mentally as well. Hinata had a hard time trusting people still, but she was willing to again one day. She longed for the day she could truly confide in someone._

_Naruto finally let go and Hinata breathed in relief. "A-alright N-Naruto-kun, c-concentrate i-inside y-your body and y-you w-will fi-find your c-chakra centre."_

_The boy sat and went unnervingly quiet. Hinata also sat in her favourite position (the half lotus) and focused on her chakra centre. It was a light, metallic indigo colour. Hinata was baffled slightly, before she had silvery blue chakra, but after she had awakened her Byakugan, her chakra had taken on a mystical purple hue. It didn't bother the girl too much, but she was slightly curious for answers. _

_Everything about her Byakugan was puzzling to the girl. For one, when she had looked at herself in a mirror with it on, she had been shocked by what she saw. Her eyes had glowed with a purple-white light. That was not supposed to happen, she knew that she was supposed to have veins around her eyes; she had seen her fath… Hiashi's in action. _

_Another thing was the fact that there was no blind spot for her. The world was crystal clear from all sides, she could see everything. But there again, it could be a myth for the 'normal' Byakugan to have a blind spot._

_The thing that intrigued her the most though was the fact that she could read peoples chakra. When active, she felt… The colours of peoples chakra, and found a little about what they were like. For instance, Naruto's chakra was a bright, burning blue, and she felt confidence and… melancholy radiating from it. However, there was always __**something else**__ underneath's the blondes own chakra, but Hinata never concentrated hard enough to figure out what it was._

_When inactive, Hinata got 'feelings' about a person. It had happened with the receptionist for instance, she didn't feel good about the woman and she was right in thinking the woman was a bad person. When the Hokage fired her for what she had said to Naruto last month, the woman had gone mad and tried to burn down the Hokage offices. Hinata knew because she watched through her Byakugan. It was unnerving how she had been right._

_Her thoughts were interrupted when a cheer rang throughout the apartment. _

"_Found it!" Naruto cried, waving his hands in front of Hinata's face._

"_W-well d-done N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata praised softly and the blonde looked beyond ecstatic. Hinata would praise Naruto as often as she could without babying him, she wanted him to feel proud of his achievements (however small) and others to feel proud of him, something Hinata never had had. She didn't want him to feel ignored or unappreciated. "O-okay… You've f-found y-your cha-chakra. Now s-send a l-little t-to your ha-hand."_

_The blonde's face set into a look of deep concentration, and he closed his eyes. Hinata slyly turned on her Byakugan and watched as Naruto's chakra started to surge throughout his body. Hinata started to panic a little, he was sending an awful lot of chakra through his chakra coils, if he didn't stop now he could hurt himself._

"_Gah…" Naruto gasped, but he still went on concentrating, his eyes screwed shut now probably due to pain. He had enough chakra to gash a wooden table, but at the cost of his health._

_Hinata deactivated her kekki-genki before shaking the blonde boy._

_His concentration broke, and he slumped forward._

"_Hin-Hinata-c-chan… Wh-what was that?" Naruto gasped, taking in rasping breaths and sweating profusely._

"_N-Naruto-kun! O-our ch-chakra c-coils a-aren't developed e-enough t-to handle t-that sort o-of power… Re-remember th-the lamp wires? I'm-imagine ou-ours as a l-little th-thin wire, not l-like the th-thick w-wire of the l-lamp." Through her anxiety, Hinata managed to simplify her explanation so Naruto would understand. The exhausted blonde nodded, and then yawned._

"_I-I'm sleepy… I g-get your point Hinata-chan…" he promptly fell asleep in her arms. _

_Sighing, she checked his body with her Byakugan for any signs of damage to his chakra coils. To her relief, there were none. _

_Enhancing her arms with chakra, the girl picked up the unconscious boy and tucked him into bed._

_After the accident, Hinata didn't really feel like doing chakra control anymore. So she concentrated on her other training, herbal remedies._

_Hinata had continued to take the Body Booster Tea and it had helped with her nervousness like it had after the Kumo kidnapping. She brewed a cup of it now with the herbs she had cut up, and sat down to drink._

_Her comprehension of herbs (and flowers due to her maintained friendship with Ino) had improved since she gotten out of the house. Hinata suspected it was because this little flat calmed her, made her feel safe. She could study here without fear of her fath… the Clan Head storming in. She had fully read __**The Beginners Guide to Herbs and Potions: Well, at least it didn't explode! **__and learnt how to make antidotes for weak poisons, as well as remedies for mild illnesses such as acne and chilblains. When she finished this Herbal book, she would go onto learn real healing techniques._

_Currently, though, she studied hard at the simple cures and elixirs, hoping that one day when the time was right, she would be able to put her knowledge to some real use._

_End Flashback_

Hinata had been right in thinking that learning how to make simple home remedies for common ailments was a good idea. It's what supported her and Naruto. She needed money, the Hokage had given her and Naruto enough to keep them afloat, but she needed herbs, books and new clothes too, and an idea had formed in her head. She would use her knowledge to help people and get income at the same time.

True to her word, Hinata had borrowed (not stolen) some books from the library on Healing Techniques. She didn't want to become a medic-nin, but knowing how to heal was vital to her and held a special place in her heart as healing herself had been so important.

But, although she was coming on very well, she couldn't go around healing people in the village for money in her current form.

So she learnt the Transformation Technique along with her medical training.

It had taken 2 weeks of chakra building and practice, but eventually she was able to transform into a healthy, young woman with brown hair and eyes. After another 3 weeks, she could maintain this for 3 hours, but her chakra coils were slightly strained. She got them checked out at the hospital, and they told her that if she was practicing to be a ninja, then the more her chakra coils were stretched and used now (within reason) then the bigger they would be when she was fully grown. So, the hospital sent a relieved Hinata back home to train.

But Hinata quickly found out that even with her strenuous training, she simply wasn't strong enough to maintain her illusion and perform the _Mystical Palm _(which had taken two months to master)technique and the same time. So, her knowledge in herbs became truly useful.

She went around the village as a simple healer (in her illusionary form), offering home remedies for mild to moderate complaints. The good thing about that was, no one suspected anything. Healers were common around Konoha, but none were as good as Hinata. She became quickly known, and had many people come up to her in the streets (when she had Transformed) asking for her services. Winter time was a good time for Hinata what with all the bugs and cold around.

The blue head made a handsign and with a poof of smoke, a thin, pale woman with chocolate brown eyes and hair stood in her place. It was a face that someone could easily overlook or forget, Hinata had made sure.

Panting slightly from chakra use, the disguised Hinata grabbed the bottle full of the honey coloured cold remedy. After wrapping up warmly, she stepped out of the apartment into the snow outside.

November in Konoha was beautiful. Delicate icicles hung from the roof of houses, twinkling in the bright, morning sunlight. It wasn't snowing, but plenty powdered ice covered the ground and roofs, much to the joy of the children. Hinata looked wistfully at the loud snowball fights, but soon noticed not one of her 'ninja' friends* was among them.

Hinata delicately stepped into the snow, shocked at how deep it was. It reached up to this body's knees. Nevertheless, the disguised girl plundered through the snow bravely, ignoring the cold. Worst came to the worst, she would have to make an ointment for chilblains for herself, or just a hot cup of herbal tea to warm her chilled body.

She headed through the quiet town (quiet as civilians didn't go out much in the winter months) to one of her regular customers, a 60 year old lady who had a tendency to get colds a lot. She had come to Hinata asking for relief from the cold, as other tried but it did not work.

Hinata got a good 'feeling' from the woman, so she happily obliged to try and make a remedy that worked.

She got outside the home, delivered it to the woman, who was very generous in her payment, 2000 ryo.

"T-Tomoke-san, please, do not over pay me!" Hinata's stuttering almost disappeared when she was in her illusionary form, as Transforming was a way to hide herself and she felt infinitely more confident with it.

"Dear, your potion is the only thing that has brought me relief. If I were richer, I would happily pay you more. But alas, my body is old and frail and I am unable to work." Tomoke cackled, green eyes sparking.

"You are y-young still, Tomoke-san…" Hinata tried to argue, but the woman turned serious.

"Child, I am old, do not try and sugar-coat it. I do not have long left I'm afraid, but thankfully, your medicine makes my days comfortable. Thank you for that. However… Nevermind…" The woman frowned deeply.

"T-Tomoke-san, is there anything el-else wrong?" Hinata asked, meeting the green orbs of the aged woman.

Tomoke sighed. "Something is troubling me… The shinobi training ground… Number 44… There had been the most terrible noise coming from it for a while now. But, no one dares go in there, and I would be useless if I did." The woman's wrinkled lips turned down in sadness. "It sounds like an animal is in pain…"

Hinata's heart twisted. _T-that p-poor th-thing… B-But t-training g-ground 44… is dangerous. I-I could do something t-though…_

"Anyway, I'll go and file a mission on it soon. Not now though, it seems the ice won't clear up for quite some time now." Tomoke sighed again.

"T-Tomoke, I'll go to the Hokage and file the mission. P-please rest." Hinata reassured the old lady.

"Thank you. It will put me at peace. Goodbye dear." The old lady smiled and closed the door quietly.

Hinata pocketed the money guiltily, she hadn't refused it strongly enough, but she doubted Tomoke would let her give any of it back anyway. She trudged down the snowy path, and remembered that Tomoke had a hard time getting out sometimes.

She infused her arms with a little chakra and started sweeping the snow out of the way with her thickly gloved hands. When she had done, a rough path was clear for the old lady to walk down. Hinata felt a little better, the money Tomoke had given her would pay for that job, it had been no trouble anyway.

As for the woman's request… Hinata was nervous. She knew from books about the creatures that lived in Training Ground 44, and she had overheard stories of people _dying_ in there. She didn't fancy seeing a dead body, but she had to help that animal.

Slowly, Hinata made her way across the snow frosted town towards the Forest of Death. She stood outside on of the gates and listened carefully.

Tomoke was right; a terrible, screaming sound pierced the air. It was continual too, and it sounded like it had been going on for a long time.

Underneath her genjutsu, Hinata activated her Byakugan. Immediately she saw what was going on.

A family of giant mongoose surrounded what seemed to be 3 other mongeese. 2 of the mongooses were giving birth, and the third looked severely injured. The rest of the family (there were 5 of them) were in front on the three, protecting them from what seemed to be a massive 3 headed tiger.

The mongeese struck first, all 5 at once. The humongous mutant tiger bared its teeth and growled in pain as its body was slashed and scratched in various places from the attacking mongooses' claws.

However, the tiger wasn't taking this lying down. It clawed at its own body, occasionally catching one of the mongooses and drawing blood, as well as a cry of pain.

The terrible battle continued as Hinata watched on in fear. The tiger was winning, but only just. Hinata looked at the massive, barbed wire gate, and then at the battle between the giant mutated tiger and the defending mongeese. Dispelling her Transformation Technique, the girl used her chakra to help her climb the wire fence. She was sweating from the effort, but kept going.

When she reached the top, the barbed wire got in her way. But her training hadn't been for nothing. Very slowly, she took one arm off the fence and sent chakra to her finger. She drew her finger over the spiked metal. After 4 very long seconds… The metal sliced. Hinata almost sighed in relief, but the battle between the two animals got her back on track. She sliced another part of the wire that prevented her from helping the mongoose and then climbed over the gate.

She landed with a light thud in the deep snow of the forest. Not wasting a second, Hinata's desperation to help the animals took over her body and she got to her feet and began running.

Hinata didn't know exactly why she was doing this; she was risking her life for a pack of animals that would probably kill her when she helped them. But maybe, it was because Hinata couldn't look at other beings in pain. She had experienced so much of it in her young life, and wished pain on no one but the people who would cause pain. The creator of pain in this situation was the tiger, if you could even call the ghastly beast that.

Hinata's Byakugan managed to alert her of all the other animals roaming around, so she steered clear of them. Her eyes were beginning to ache and legs were beginning to burn, but her training hadn't just covered healing and chakra control.

Hinata had been very aware that her physical strength wasn't too good (since she had been reminded every day by Hiashi until she left 'home'), but she was naturally agile. So, she did exercise every day to build up her muscles. Only a little, but a little exercise every day for about 4 months does go a long way. Her exercise of choice had been running with little weights on.

Her Sealing book that she had taken with her from the Hyuga house hadn't been forgotten by Hinata. It was a very basic book, teaching very basic Seals. Hinata liked Seals; it was like painting a puzzle to her. Each part of the Seal fit in together perfectly on a page, and once you were practiced enough with an ink brush, you could fluidly draw out the puzzle like fine art. Hinata wasn't quite there yet with the Basic Seals, but she knew how to seal objects into paper, exploding tags and Gravity Seals.

The Gravity Seal had been her Seal of choice for training. It acted like a free weight. Writing a Seal onto one's skin without practice was dangerous to say the least, so she drew out the Seal many times before inking herself with it.

The Gravity Seal didn't actually act with gravity, contrary to popular belief because that would be far too complicated. All it did was trick your body into thinking there was more weight on it than there actually was, therefore, your body had to use more energy to move. It was harmless really, as long as you didn't add too much weight on. The benefits were when you took them off your body would be used to moving with weight, so without weight you would be able to move faster, and it built up muscle easily.

This daily exercise, combined with the Body Booster Tea she drank, didn't transform her body massively, but Hinata ended up being far stronger than most toddlers her age, and her stamina had improved as well, since she never took the Gravity Seal off.

Until now. Quickly, she tapped her stomach (where she had placed the seal) and instantly, her body felt lighter. She shot forward suddenly, and if it weren't for the severity of the situation, Hinata would have laughed in elation. The world rushed past her in a big white blur and the icy wind whipped her blue hair around. She felt free and trapped at the same time. Free as she could move like this, but trapped in the forest. But she wouldn't let her fear of the Forest of Death get to her. She had overcome fear before, she could do it again.

She stopped when she neared the place where the great battle was taking place.

With a thunderous roar, the tiger got the last defeated mongoose off it's body and threw it to the cold floor. The tiger was looking terrible, its body was slashed, its ears ripped and 2 of the tigers' heads had no eyes, and the third one only had one left. Not to mention it was covered in both the mongoose's blood and its own. It's looked more like a ferocious red zombie cat than a three headed tiger.

The wounded creature took a shaky step forward towards one of the fallen mongeese. Hinata's couldn't stay out of it any longer. She couldn't watch the fallen be finally beaten.

She ran in front of the tiger and stared at its remaining, bloodthirsty eye. In the eyes reflection she could see the light of her own glowing eyes.

The creature stopped and growled softly, sizing up the child with the burning eyes. Its damaged ears flattened against its head and the beast turned tail and limped away quickly.

Hinata was shaking in fear now that her adrenaline had gone. _I-I j-just fa-faced a m-monster… A-And i-it was af-afraid o-of m-__me__… _Hinata rubbed her eyes and deactivated her kekki-genki. Whine's behind her reminded Hinata why she risked it all to come here in the first place.

She whipped round and assessed the damage. The 5 giant mongeese were bleeding heavily, but there seemed to be no broken bones. She dealt with these first.

Carefully, she approached the one nearest to her, the one who the tiger was going to eat. Ignoring the cold, she crawled over to it, trying to look as harmless as possible.

Nevertheless, the injured mongoose did growl at the approaching girl. Hinata stopped and waited for the noises to stop before continuing on. The creature looked afraid now, and was trying to move away. It gave up and mewled in pain.

Murmuring softly, Hinata reached a green, glowing hand towards the crippled creature. Her hand reached the soft fur, and the last whines of the mongoose stopped. A sizzling sound was heard, and the creature's wounds began to steam and close up. When the sizzling had stopped, Hinata took her hand off the soft fur and looked at the creature.

It observed her hand reaching out to it again, and the animal flinched as Hinata placed a hand on its head. It relaxed very slightly as Hinata stroked the mongooses head, and then began to purr softly.

Hinata got her breath and energy back whilst stroking the now submissive animal. When she was ready, she took her hand away and crawled over to the next injured mongoose.

One by one, Hinata slowly healed the battle wounded and then she made her way over to the three that the 5 had been protecting.

The one that needed her attention most was the one that wasn't giving birth. Using her Byakugan, Hinata saw the extent of the damage the creature had.

Its skull was cracked, 3 of its four limbs were broken and its tail was missing; only a severed stump remained. The snow around it was dyed black (as Byakugan saw only in black and white) from the blood the creature leaked from its many external wounds. All in all, it was a very sorry looking thing.

Hinata took in deep gulps of air as the pain of using too much chakra set in. It was a very agonizing feeling, as if there was a fiery liquid burning through her veins, but she had no energy to writhe and scream like she wanted. Glittering tears of pain escaped the girl's shining eyes, but she pushed aside her own pain because she bet the pain she was feeling now was nothing in comparison to the battered animal laid in the stained snow before her.

Summoning all the power she had left, she forced it through her shaky hand so it had a pale green aura surrounding it.

_C-C'm-mon H-Hinata, y-you c-c-can do th-this… K-keep go-going! _She shouted at herself. Sweat beads formed on her creased brow, but they froze almost immediately in the frigid air. Her whole body began shivering and Hinata vaguely noticed she was going to die, but not from chakra exhaustion.

The snow around her, combined with the blood from the animals, had wet her clothes and the wetness had seeped through to her skin. Then, freezing gusts of wind blew through the forest, making the liquid freeze on her small frame. It was so cold it burned her delicate skin, and her body began to convulse violently. Her work was finally done, the animal was fully healed, and by the high pitched squeaks around her, the two other mongeese had finished giving birth. Content but in agonizing pain, Hinata collapsed to the side and assumed fetal position. The last of her strength had been consumed by the Mystical Palm Technique, and the last of her body heat stolen by the unforgiving wind. Her body started to shut down, and Hinata closed her eyes.

Nervous chatters squeaked around Hinata, and then the wind was gone, she couldn't feel it anymore. Instead of the bitter wind, she felt fur on her visible skin. The mongeese had formed a protective, furry barrier from the cold.

She felt like she was being dragged through the snow, but she didn't stay awake long enough to wonder why.

xXx

There was squeaking, and lots of other muffled scratching noises. Something soft and furry covered her body, and by instinct, she snuggled down into it. The thing she snuggled down into purred, and Hinata's eyes shot open.

She was in complete darkness, but she could feel things shuffling around. There was a heavy, musky smell in the air, one that came from animals.

Scared out of her mind, Hinata tried to remember what happened. Her memory gave her small fragments of what had happened. There had been lots of pain… And blood… And squeaking… Very familiar to what she was hearing now. Something nudged her side, and that seemed to jolt her mind into action.

Everything came rushing back, the forest, the tiger, the healing. She remembered fainting whilst being dragged through something cold… Snow.

Hinata gasped as she realized where she was.

She was _underground!_

xXx

I know, I'm cruel. Cliffhanger I was tempted to leave it when Hinata was being dragged through the snow, but I was nice and let you find out where she was.

This was written on a complete whim, the idea of going into the forest of Death popped into my head, and thus, this chapter was born! Xxx

Tell me what you think xx

*Hinata's ninja friends are: Ino, Naruto, Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba.


	7. Chapter 6

Twisted Yet Still Pure

So happy right now! I love you guys, thanks for being so cool with my story.

Alright, there was a little typo error in the last chapter where Hinata saw the blood of the mongoose as crimson. The Byakugan see's only in black and white, and Hinata's no exception. I've changed it now, but if any of you think she can colour, your wrong sorry xx

Anyway, my beloved muse visited me on Monday, so I thought every night about this chapter (which is irritating if you want sleep!) xx

Enjoy : )

Chapter 6

_Previously…_

_Scared out of her mind, Hinata tried to remember what happened. Her memory gave her small fragments of what had happened. There had been lots of pain… And blood… And squeaking… Very familiar to what she was hearing now. Something nudged her side, and that seemed to jolt her mind into action._

_Everything came rushing back, the forest, the tiger, the healing. She remembered fainting whilst being dragged through something cold… Snow._

_Hinata gasped as she realized where she was._

_She_ _was underground!_

xXx

Hinata's eyes darted frantically around what she suspected was a burrow, trying to see if there was a light she could follow to get out. She would have used her Byakugan, but she didn't want to alert the creatures to her consciousness.

Her breathing was loud and her body started to quiver from fear. She wasn't cold or wet anymore; the body warmth the massive 'things' gave off had dried her out thoroughly. Yet, Hinata felt icy, like the snow outside was rushing through her veins. Her heartbeat was like a hummingbird, thrumming so fast in her chest it sounded to her like a constant buzz. A drop of cold sweat ran down her neck, and she shuddered involuntarily.

Suddenly, her world came to a standstill.

"Y-you think s-s-she's o-k-kay?" a shy, nervous voice whispered.

Hinata took a massive breath. _Someone was down here with her!_

"Nervy, why did ya speak? Yer fuzzy baka, the little lass is awake now!" a deep voice hissed back. It was a peculiar voice, one that reminded her of a farmer for some reason.

There was a lot of shuffling and then sighing.

"Lassie, we know yer awake. Don't be frightened of us mind." The farmer-like voice murmured gently.

Slowly, Hinata sat up and weighed her options. That voice sounded older than she was, so she would have little chance of running away without being captured. But… The voice had told her to not be afraid, and it sounded nice enough. Hinata screwed her eyes shut and tried to _sense _who was with her, and what they were like.

It was odd, Hinata detected around 8 or 9 'things' there with her. 'Things' because they didn't have the normal human aura. All of them had a slightly wild feeling about them, some more than others. But, they weren't evil, she got that much.

Then, it hit her. The farmer voice had said _fuzzy. _Hinata's brain whirred, and she started to grasp how she got down here and who was with her. Or, more accurately, _what._

"Ohh… Look at 'er shaking. If Hen 'wa up and about, this lassie wouldn't be breathing from the coddling she'd be gettin'." The rough voice giggled.

Other high pitch giggles rang throughout the cave.

"So lassie" the homely voice echoed. "We owe ya thanks for savin' our hides. Sorry if we frighten ya, not many people have summoning contracts nowadays." Another high pitch giggle. "The looks on folks faces when they first speak to an animal!"

Hinata just sat there in the darkness, completely and utterly shocked. A _mongoose _was _talking _to her like it was _completely normal! _She managed to move her fingers and pinch herself. The pain was real, and so was the heat, and the fur. That also meant the talking mongoose was real too.

_I-I'm not dr-dreaming…_

"We are in debt to you child." A smooth, slick voice commented.

"Slick, I didn't know you were up and about! You alright now?" the voice that had been talking to her asked cheerfully.

"Yes Joe-sama." Slick responded.

"Ahh Slick mate, you know I don' believe in fancy titles and all that. Too much fuss." The mongoose now known as Joe scolded lightly. "That goes for you too little 'un. Call me Joe."

"Joe-s… Joe, she can't see us right now." Slick reminded patiently.

"Wha- ah yeah, I 'member now. Turn on those eyes 'o yours little 'un."

Hinata obeyed (mostly because she couldn't really think properly right now and following an order was easier than thinking for herself) and everything became clear.

She was in a gigantic burrow, so big it seemed more like an underground cave. There were _nine _giant mongooses with her. The extra two were newborn pups that Hinata guessed the two mongeese in the snow had given birth to.

Each pup was about her own size in width and length. Both of them had a thin coat of fur, to her their furs were both black but one had a white streak running along their back. Their eyes were screwed shut and they snored a little, curling up closer to their big mothers (she assumed they were) for warmth.

There were three awake mongeese, all staring at her with intelligent beady eyes. One was bigger than the rest, and it seemed to be grinning at her cheekily. There was one with a welcoming but assessing expression, and, well, its fur looked _greasy. _There was one more, and they were pressed into the wall as if terrified. Hinata's stomach dropped at the frightened creature; it reminded her of herself. The rest of the adult mongeese seemed to be in a deep slumber, including the one she was resting on.

"Hi there little 'un. I'm Joe. Don' add titles." The biggest mongoose greeted.

"I am Slick. Pleased to meet you." The greasy looking mongoose said. His words were well pronounced and he spoke with the utmost precision. He was clearly the brains of the group.

The trembling mongoose pressed into the wall said nothing, but one of its paws twitched, and Hinata took that as a hello.

As intimidated as she was by the large, clever creatures, she had to be polite. It was her way.

"H-he-hello ev-every-one. M-my n-name i-is Hi-Hinata." She managed to stutter out. She saw the terrified mongoose relax just a little, and the creature turned towards her properly.

"Hinata 'ey? Well, lookin' at those eyes 'o yours, you're a Hyuga. Gran'ed, I ain't seen _those _eyes for a long while." Hinata's fear lessened a little, and excitement replaced it. _He-he knows?_

"S-s-sir… P-please t-tell me ab-about my eyes." She didn't bother to inform the leader mongoose about her standing (or lack of) in the Clan.

Joe scratched his whiskered chin thoughtfully. "Well, lass, I don' know much really. I jus' know that's a fancy, upgraded Byakugan. If ya really want answers, you'll have to ask the Elder Kats."

"Joe, she can't just go and ask our leaders. She's doesn't have an alliance with us." Slick contradicted, his furred face wrinkling just a little.

"Hold yer 'orses, I wa' getting to tha' bit!" Joe argued back.

"You don't mean…? _She's _going to be our new summoner. No offense their child." The greasy mongoose apologised smoothly. Hinata was too busy trying to get her head round the fact that they were offering her something she had no clue about.

"S-S-Slick-sama, wh-what do y-you mean by s-summoning?" Hinata shyly stuttered.

"Slick-san's alright child. Anyway, summoning... Well, a human signs a certain scroll in their own blood. That person is now allied with the creature of that scroll. In battle, or wherever else the person see's fit, the person only needs to offer a little blood and chakra up and an animal of their signed scroll will aid them. The amount of chakra used will determine the outcome of the strength and size of the creature." Slick explained slowly.

"Got it in one Slick. Yupp little un', I want you to be our new summoner. Mongoose and Meerkat summoners are extinct nowadays. You'll be the firs' one in about… Well, since the Firs' Shinobi World War."

"Th-that w-was _a-ages _a-ago. " Hinata gasped shakily.

"Yupp. The Firs' Shinobi World War wa' behin' our summoners extinction." Hinata sat forward, always ready to receive new knowledge. Joe saw this and giggled. "Eager to learn are we? Tha' is always good." Joe shuffled a bit and coughed deeply. "Alrigh', so in the time of the Firs' World War, Meerkats 'n Mongoose were widely used 'cuz we can dig and infiltrate the most complex hideouts, an' we were pretty nifty fighters too. We were used by the Lan' 'o Wind folk. That wa' our homeland." There was a dreamy look in the leader mongooses' eye, but then he snapped to attention. "But, Mongoose 'n Meerkat users were feared, so they were hunted down, alon' with our kind. The Lan' o' Wind folk are a paranoid bunch, they even hunted down their own shinobi 'cuz they thought they were disloyal. War does tha' to people I'm afraid." Joe ran a paw over his head, whilst Hinata listened on carefully. "Our Contract Scroll was bein' searched for too, whether it wa' to destroy it or keep it for ones own uses, I don' know. So, to protect the rest of our kind an' the Scroll, we moved awa' from the Wind land and spread out. Our Scroll is kept wi' the Big Kats for protection, but any Meerkat or Mongoose can summon it in the event someone decen' comes along. That's you lass." Hinata blushed deeply, but said nothing. "Anyway, our kind kept real quiet for a long while, an' folk started to believe our kind were just dumb animals. Some of our own kind forgot who they were too." A saddened look brought down the usually cheerful animals features. "So, as time wen' on, our kind became less and less hunted, until one day, people jus' stopped. We came here 'cuz we were brought here by Konoha folk. They thought we would be perfec' beasts for testin' young shinobi. We ain't really like tha', so we stayed out the way of 'em. As for this fores', it ain't too bad, we got plenty to eat 'n a nice burrow, but life is… Borin'. Well, unless you coun' tha' massive beastly tiger, that ain' been round 'ere before. Must be a new challenge. It wasn' like a normal tiger, they usually leave us be in 'ere. Must 'ave been bred for the job."

_Th-that's… wrong… I-I won-wonder who c-came up wi-with that idea… _Hinata thought, slightly angrily.

"We are in debt to you lass, we know you aren' part 'o this fores'. You wen' out your way to save us. We owe ya this much." Joe got up off the floor and stood on his massive hind legs. He then brought up his paws and began forming handsigns with them (Boar, Bird, Monkey, Dog and Ram), using his sharp claws as fingers. After he slammed his paws down onto the cave floor (awakening the rest of the pack quite startlingly) a big scroll appeared after a poof of white smoke.

"Hinata, I am asking you now, would you like to be allied with us 'n our kind? You don' have to, but I can at leas' tell your trainin' to be a ninja."

All went silent in the cave, the animals that had just woken up seemed to already know what was going on, and remained quiet so the blue head could think.

_E-everything is… ch-changing… So q-quickly… I-I d-don't kn-know whether I-I am st-strong enough t-to ma-make them p-proud of m-me a-as their su-summoner… B-But… This is a once in a lifetime opportunity… I must try! _With her resolve came confidence, and with confidence came a smile.

"Yes." That one little word rang throughout out the cave, and all at once, the animals cheered and hooted.

When Joe raised a huge paw and the noise ceased but the excitement was still thick in the air, so thick it seemed to brush Hinata's skin with tingly electricity.

"Step forth lass, and bite yer thumb." Joe commanded gently. Hinata obeyed, a nibbled the flat side of her thumb until she could taste the coppery liquid of her blood. "Sigh yer name, an' then bloody up yer fingertips an' put a hand mark there. ID, y'know."

She did so, and closed her eyes.

_I, Hinata Hiuga, promise to be loyal to the Meerkats and Mongeese. I will protect them, and they will protect me. We are not allies, we shall be friends! _Hinata vowed in her head.

There was no sudden rush of power, no sudden feeling of strength, but it didn't matter. Hinata felt as if she could run up a mountain, the sheer thrill in the air gave her power in itself. It seemed to be infectious too, because as soon as Hinata's bloodied hand pressed against the paper and sealed the deal (no pun intended) the Mongeese started purring, giggling, screaming and jumping. Only the penetrating wails of the baby mongeese brought them down from their high.

"Oh, the poor dearies! We woke them!" one mongoose cooed, immediately rushing over to the crying pups. "Everyone, quiet now!" there was already silence, but the threat was clear. Don't make a sound.

Hinata was fine with not speaking, she had done it most of her life. But it was hard _not _to speak for once, she wanted so very badly to thank every_one _(she didn't think they were_ things_ anymore, she acknowledged them as people, intelligent sentient beings, smart as any human on earth) for accepting her so quickly. But alas, she didn't want to anger her new friends and comrades.

"That's me wife, Hen. She'll coddle you within an inch of your life when you get near her. She has a soft spot for kiddies." Joe whispered. Hen turned to glare, but then saw her mate speaking to Hinata, and her expression softened.

When the baby mongeese were quiet, Hen came rushing over. Hinata was immediately crushed into a strong, furry hug.

"Well, by fur, look at this pup! She's so _cute!_" Hen squealed, still glomping the poor, frightened blue head.

"Hen luv, you're killin' our new summoner." Joe giggled, and Hen looked down to see Hinata starting to go blue from lack of oxygen.

"By fur, she's a small thing ain't she?" Hen finally let Hinata loose of the killer hug. Hinata breathed in deep gulps of air, trying to get her breath back. _K-Kami-s-sama s-she is-is st-strong!_

"Hello there pup! Call me Hen or mama, it don't matter to me." Hen chuckled, whilst Hinata… Felt like crying.

Mama… Was a word she didn't like anymore. It was too painful to think about her mother; the loss she felt when she reminisced about the woman who had shown her any love cut so deep, deeper than any physical wound she had ever received. Scars of kidnap and poison stretched in her mind painfully, and Hinata whimpered a little. But, this was a happy day for her; she shouldn't be feeling these things. She should accept the death of her mother and move on. But it was hard; harder than anyone made it out to be. Half a year had passed, and Hinata's mind wouldn't let her forget the events of that night.

A pair of gentle, warm limbs embraced her, and Hinata held onto that furry comfort tight.

"Hush love… I'm sorry if that hurt you… I- I didn't know." The soft voice of Hen murmured.

Hinata had never had comfort before, not since the Hokage had hugged her that one time in his office. Sure, she had had hugs from Ino, but that wasn't for comfort. It was a sign of their friendship, and an achievement for Hinata as she let Ino close to her without becoming uncomfortable.

But, this comfort was longer, more secure. The girl imprinted the hug into her mind, she never wanted to forget the sweet, reassuring feeling the simple touch gave her.

Eventually, Hinata stopped thinking thoughts of deaths and grief, and just let herself relax. She was sleepy (although she had been unconscious for Kami knows how long) and Hen seemed to notice that.

"Joe, the dear is tired. Shall we introduce her to the pack and then get her home?" Hen whispered, stroking Hinata's small head with a single large claw.

"Aye, we should. C'mon group, meet our new summoner properly." Joe called, and the animals (save the babies) stood in a long line.

"Alrigh' lass, you know Slick. I bet your wonderin' why we don't have proper names. Well, I find it easier to give everyone names based on their looks or sometimes how they speak an' act. Only the Big Kats have real names. It don' bother us. Slick's named 'cuz he has real greasy fur, an' he's a smooth talker."

"D-d-doesn't th-that bother y-you Slick-s-san?" Hinata asked sleepily. Even though her attention was waning due to her tiredness, she could still listen properly.

"Not at all child. It's the truth, I have greasy fur. As for smooth talking… Joe-san's making up stories there. I don't have a way with words, but I can get out of a slippery situation. Welcome to the pack Hinata-sama." Slick replied smoothly, running a paw through his shiny fur. Before Hinata could protest at being called sama (she didn't think she was any better than them, if anything she was in awe of the creatures) Joe spoke again.

"Alrigh' you know Nervy too. She's shy 'n has a stutter like you, but she's a fierce little fighter when it comes down to it." Nervy seemed to bow a little at the praise, and she gave another small wave to Hinata.

"W-wel-welcome H-Hinata-sama." Nervy greeted shyly.

"P-please… Don't call m-me s-s-sama… I-I a-am no be-better th-than y-you."

"I like this 'un, don't you Nervy. She's not arrogant like some summoners we've seen." Joe praised, and it was Hinata's turn to blush and bow. She blinked her eyes blearily, she remembered she still had the Byakugan on, and it was starting to ache. But she hadn't met everyone yet, so she kept it up.

"Alrigh', you're in the arms 'o Hen. This one is Lucky. He's the one you saved from being the first next meal 'o tha' tiger. He's proper lucky, he always is alive after a nitty, gritty fight. Enemies blows jus' don' seem to hit 'im." Joe commented, whilst the mongoose names Lucky smirked cheekily.

"Someone golden loves me up there. Nice to meet cha." Lucky giggled. "Thanks for saving my hide too."

"N-no p-problem."

"Alrigh' next up is Scar-sama. He's the oldes' of the group, 'n he's me dad. We call him Scar 'cuz, well, look at him." Joe pointed to the numerous jagged scars running all over the gruff looking mongooses body. "You healed his cracked skull 'n stuff."

Scar said nothing to Hinata, he just grinned at her in a creepy sort of way, with all of his sharp teeth showing.

Hinata felt a little uneasy, and detected more wildness in Scar than any other mongoose she had met. She got a feeling he had a love for violence and all things bloody. He was primal by nature.

"Movin' on, this is Silky. She has the best fur in 'ere." The sleek looking mongoose puffed up.

"Damn right I do. Someone's gotta make up for Slick's fur." Silky boasted, and she seemed to swell in pride. Slick on the other hand, just rolled his eyes at the vain mongoose.

"Alrigh' big 'ead, calm down." Joe giggled. Silky scowled at her leader, but her eyes softened when they rest on Hinata.

"Pleased to meet you. You have nice fur." She commented. Hinata blushed (another thing she wanted to get rid of as she looked and felt ridiculous) and thanked her quietly.

"Alrigh' group, I've named the pups already." Joe announced when they came to the tiny (by the mongooses standards, they were about the same size as Hinata) snoozing babies.

"Tha' one is Streak, and tha' one is Shadow." Joe said, pointing to the mongoose with the white streak in its fur and then the mongoose that was totally black (in Hinata's eyes).

"Okey-dokey then, you've met the pack little 'un. I think it's time you got some zzz's. Ya look dea' beat." Joe said.

"I'll show her out Joe love. You need rest too." Hen offered.

"Thanks Hen. I'll see ya in a bit love. An' you too lassie. Visit us soon."

The rest of the mongeese said their farewells, and then Hen carried her through a maze of tunnels. The 'mother' mongoose said nothing, but checked on Hinata regularly to make sure she wasn't falling asleep.

When light was in her Byakugan's sight, Hinata deactivated her kekki-genki with relief. Now that it was off, her eyes felt less relaxed and more than ever she wanted to drop off into dreamland.

The girl felt the chilly wind before she saw the exit, and she shivered. It had been so warm and cozy down in the burrow chamber, the wide, chilly tunnel was not a nice contrast at all.

When she could see the light at the end of the tunnel, Hen placed the exhausted girl on the icy ground.

"This is where I stop I'm afraid dear. We still have to keep a low profile. When you are truly ready to use us in battle, we will announce our presence to the rest of the world. For now, grow strong child." Hen pressed her furred lips to Hinata's forehead lightly.

"G-goodbye… A-and th-thank y-you." Hinata thanked. A single tear rolled from the corner of her eye. She wasn't sure whether it was from tiredness, cold or plain emotion, but she was too sleepy to care.

"It's no problem dear. See you soon!" The large, loving creature turned tail and scuttled back down the tunnel. Hinata was envious, Hen was going back to her warm, loving family and she had to trudge through icy snow to get to her apartment.

Slowly, Hinata crawled out of the tunnel, squinting as the bright light hurt her eyes and made them water. Outside it was still freezing, but there were no grey clouds covering the sky and the sun was shining brightly, warming up the now cold girl gradually.

After stretching her muscles, the blue headed summoner waded through the thick snow to her home. Idly, she wondered how long she had been gone. A night at least, because it was morning now and coming up to the afternoon when she left to help the Mongeese.

She was relieved to find the burrow tunnel she had come out of was right next to the waterfall near the hot springs, because she really didn't want to go through the Forest of Death in this condition. She was dirty, tired and achy. And now chilly too,

Willpower gave her the strength to turn on her Byakugan and check who was around. There were citizens doing their daily chores which included snow clearing, and a few shinobi wandering around.

What really caught her attention was Naruto; he was dashing around frantically, calling out something. She read his lips. He was calling _her name!_

Running as quick as her exhausted body would allow, she went through the back alleys of Konoha to her apartment. Her Byakugan was still active, so she could see if anyone was coming. They weren't luckily for her. She didn't fancy explaining why she was covered in dirt and smelt of mongoose, not to mention why she had been gone for a night.

She could have collapsed in relief when her apartment was in sight, but that would probably kill her. It never was good falling asleep in the snow.

Her apartment was cold, but not as cold as outside. It was also a mess. The kitchen was littered with empty ramen pots, scrolls were everywhere (the ones she allowed Naruto to read) and Hinata swore there were his boxers on the floor. She vowed never again to leave Naruto on his own, as their home would suffer from it.

Climbing into the shower, she washed off the grime she accumulated from the burrow and her little 'adventure' before getting into some warm pyjamas.

She wasn't a selfish person, but she was simply too tired to find Naruto and explain. That would be for later.

She fell deeply asleep quickly. Her dreams were filled with training and mongeese, dark tunnels and wide open spaces.

Much later, her pleasant dreams were interrupted by shaking. She snapped open her eyes and saw the worried, pale face of Naruto looming over her. She squeaked in fear, he looked furious.

She definitely had some explaining to do.

xXx

Alright, I think some of you are wondering, why did I choose Mongeese and Meerkats? There are so many other cool animals out there (dragons, tigers, snakes etc) so why did I choose little (or in this case large) furry things that look like weasels (apart from they aren't really related).

Simple. They symbolise Hinata in a way.

Mongeese eat _snakes, slugs (Meerkats do, and they also eat scorpions too), frogs__, insects, rodents, _earthworms and _lizards. _They don't look like they could take on a snake and win do they? But they can.

They are the same as Hinata. Hinata won't look like she could take on, for example, Orochimaru, but when she gets stronger; she would have a fighting chance. The same as a Mongoose.

Hoped you liked this chapter anyway. Took me awhile to straighten everything out :) xxx


	8. Chapter 7

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Hiya! So sorry that I haven't updated in a while, school's been pretty darn busy! Also, I probably won't be posting another for a while since I'm on camp this weekend. Thanks sooo much for reviewing, to be honest I was worried how people were gonna take my story (first time nerves :) )

This chapter is pretty much a filler. Personally, I quite like filler chapters because it's interesting to me what the characters do when they aren't fighting or well… Being dramary. And it builds up character methinks.

Enjoy xx

xXx

Chapter 7

3 weeks had passed since Hinata made the alliance with the Mongeese and the Meerkats, and it was now the 19th of December.

It should have been a happy time for Hinata, her favourite holiday was coming up (Christmas), the Mongeese loved her like a family and her training was coming on well. But there was one thing that bothered her.

Naruto was angry.

Not as in full-on raving and smashing things up. What he was doing was worse. He was giving her the cold-shoulder.

The morning she had returned from the burrow was when it all went downhill.

It wasn't in Hinata's nature to shout, so she didn't. In fact, she hardly said anything. But Naruto had. Hinata had never seen him so angry before, it was like something else had taken over entirely. She swore she had seen a red glint in his eyes at the peak of his rant. Hinata shuddered as the argument came back to her.

**Flashback**

"_N-Naruto-k-kun…" Hinata whispered, looking at her enraged room-mate in fear. Her mind whirred, what in Kami's holy name was she going to tell him?_

"_Hinata…" he didn't add chan to her name. He __always__ did that. She was in definite trouble. "Where were you?" _

_It was a simple enough question, but not for Hinata. She simply wasn't ready to tell him about her __real__ training, and she didn't want to betray the mongooses trust. They wanted to keep a low profile, and Hinata was going to do everything in her power to keep it that way until it was time to announce their return. "I-I…" the gleaming cerulean blue eyes narrowed. He watched her like a hawk, as if waiting for her to slip up. She was already falling. "I-I wa-was in t-the f-forest." Hinata stuttered nervously. How could one 4 year old boy contain so much anger?_

"_Why?" The next question was short and sharp, and it cut Hinata's confidence (the little she had in the first place) into pieces._

"_W-w-we-well y-you s-see… T-t-the-there w-were s-some w-winter he-herbs I-I nee-needed fo-for my-my h-healing oi-ointments. S-s-so I-I went o-out i-in th-the forest to l-look for them…"_

"_Hinata, no herbs grow in winter." Naruto countered._

_Hinata had a backup. "S-some t-tree br-branches… T-that ar-are immune to-to wi-winter s-snow st-still g-grow a-and I w-wanted s-some."_

_Naruto was in deep thought for a single moment and Hinata relaxed very slightly. Suddenly, the spark of fury returned and Hinata's heart sped. _

"_If you wanted the branches, why didn't you go to Ino's?" It was a perfectly logical question, and Hinata put her feelings aside and played dirty._

"_W-we d-didn't h-have the m-money." Hinata cursed herself for stooping that low, but she had to. There was no other way._

_A flash of pain shot through Naruto's blue eyes, and remorse stabbed through Hinata's heart and mind. _I-I… sh-shouldn't h-have d-done th-that… H-he hurts b-beca-because o-of me… I-I am a-a b-bad p-person aren-aren't I… _Hinata thought, but her guilt was interrupted by Naruto talking._

"_You were gone for a night and you didn't tell me where you went! I worried so much about you! I-I thought you left me! I- "he choked on his words, and then the real argument begun. A ruby red flash glinted in Naruto's eyes. "I THOUGHT YOU CARED ABOUT ME, BUT YOU LEFT! AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WERE COMING BACK! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DIFFERENT HINATA, DIFFERENT FROM THE VILLAGE! BUT YOU TURNED YOUR BACK ON ME LIKE THE REST OF THEM!" Naruto screamed , his eyes still a feral blood red. Hinata shrank back into the wall behind her, and tears leaked out of her eyes. _H-he thinks I-I don't care… I ca-care… B-but… H-he… _her thoughts were broken by sobs. Her sobs. The remorse she felt showed itself in the form of salty liquid pooling in her eyes._

_All of a sudden, Naruto's eyes cooled back to blue and he looked at Hinata in shock and… fear? Then, without saying anything, he ran out of the room._

_Hinata broke down for the first time in 6 months. The floodgates of her eyes opened and out rushed tears. This guilt was more intense than anything than she had ever felt before, perhaps because the one she had hurt really mattered to her, and the more you hurt someone you truly care about, the more it eats you up inside. Hinata was being devoured by her remorse._

_Hinata continued to cry the guilt out of her, and tried to reason with herself again why she kept so many secrets._

_She was going to shatter from the pressure, but there was no one else she could turn to. She had to make do with what she got._

_But first, she had to make up for the pain she had caused._

**End Flashback**

To be perfectly honest, Hinata didn't really know why the argument had escalated as much as it did. Could Naruto have… sensed her lie?

Yes, she had lied. Or… given the half truth, because she did go out to a forest, just not to collect herbs. She felt awful, and her conscience had been screaming at her throughout the entire argument, but Hinata put her own remorse aside and lied anyway.

There were 3 reasons for lying.

One, Naruto wasn't the… quietest child in the village. If she had told him the whole truth, within a couple of days he would be ranting about talking mongeese. And that would be no good for anyone. Hiashi would be after her for her newly found 'power', the mongeese would be hunted down and Hinata would blame Naruto for it all. She didn't want to do that, but if something had happened to the mongeese because of him, she wouldn't be able to forgive him. They were her adopted family now and she had already given them her complete loyalty, and her heart.

The second reason was far more selfish. Hinata wanted to protect herself. If Naruto had found out the true extent of her abilities, she would hear no end to it. Her ex-father would hound her incessantly, perhaps even punish her for 'lying' about how good she was, Naruto would want to be taught everything (she didn't want to keep her powers only to herself, but Naruto… didn't grasp the basic's easily with her. He needed a _real _teacher, one who could really get across things to him quickly) and she probably wouldn't get a minute to herself again. Another reason would be simply because Hinata wasn't confident in herself. She didn't like limelight, didn't revel in attention. Maybe if she was more confident, she wouldn't mind being noticed, but she did mind. And anyway, when she was ready, she would come out and shock them all. It was deceiving she knew, but there again, a ninja was supposed to be deceptive. And it would be her enemies (if she could bring herself to hate or kill) downfall for underestimating her.

But still, just because she was serious about training didn't mean she couldn't do other things with her time.

Take right now for example; she was going shopping with Ino. The boys hadn't wanted to come Christmas shopping (surprise surprise), but that didn't matter to the girls. They wanted to get presents for them in secret anyway. Hinata was lucky enough that she had money to go shopping, her secret herbal remedy business made living conditions in the apartment much more bearable, and it gave Hinata enough to be able to pay for things like Christmas (celebrating Christmas with only the allowance the Hokage gave them would be _very _lean otherwise).

Hinata wrapped up warmly in her big lavender coat with a furred hood, a dark purple scarf and some furry yet waterproof boots*.

Hinata burrowed her face into the warmth of her scarf when the icy wind blasted her cheek. Hinata had to admit, although winter was truly beautiful and it had Christmas, spring or summer was still her favourite seasons. The flowers would be in bloom and the town would be alive with people. Usually she didn't like big crowds, but the shops prices would lower when they got a lot of customers. It was tragic that a nearly 5 year old was aware of the value of money, and knew the pleasure of a good bargain, but if Hinata had been a frivolous spender, she and Naruto would have been broke within a week. So all was good really.

Hinata dodged the snowballs that headed her way by a group of particularly playful children with relative ease. Since her little forest run, she had increased the weight of her Gravity Seals so she would be even quicker next time she took them off (she almost drooled at the speed she would get, when she took them off in the forest she felt like she had been flying), and she was better at lightening them without using her hands now too. It was good that she had practiced making her Gravity Seal lighter in an instant, otherwise that snowball would have pelted her in the face. It was scary sometimes how accurate kids aims were.

The cold blue head readjusted her Seal and groaned as it weighed her down again. She tramped through the slushy snow, keeping a pale eye out for anymore incoming snowy missiles. There was one or two incidents, but none hit the little trainee ninja. She got to the flower shop unharmed.

The tingle of the bell she knew so well rang in her ears, and she was greeted to the sight of a smiling Inoichi.

"Good morning Hinata-chan. You will be going shopping today, won't you? I beg you, try and keep my Ino-chan from spending too much, I'm not exactly made of money." He joked.

Hinata bowed a little. "I-I'll try I-Inoichi-sam-san." She corrected. Inoichi smiled indulgently as his daughter came running out from the back. The small blonde grabbed Hinata by the hand (who was used to this so she didn't flinch) and pulled her out of the door.

"Bye daddy! I'll be back soon so don't worry!" Ino reassured, seemingly reading her fathers mind.

"If you're not back here by 12 I'm off looking for you okay?" Inoichi shouted after his daughter and her best friend. Inoichi (along with the rest of the ninja community) was worried about the children staying out since the last kidnapping. He got no reply, but he smiled a little as he saw Hinata and Ino wrestling to get back into the shop. Well, Hinata was trying to get into the shop, but a look crossed Hinata's face and she gave into Ino who was pulling her away.

"Daddy knows we will be back by 12, you don't have to answer to him every time Hinata-chan!" Ino chattered, still pulling the blue through the snow. "Where do you wanna go first then Hina-chan?"

"W-well… Presents f-first for me… W-what would you l-like to do Ino-c-chan?" Hinata replied, concentrating more on the ground as she didn't want to slip like a complete klutz.

"I'm good with present searching! Who you buying for?" Ino asked, linking arms with Hinata and finally slowing down, much to the blue heads relief.

"Well… Shikamaru-kun, C-Choji-kun, K-Kiba-k-kun, N-Na-Naruto-k-kun…" she cursed herself for stuttering at his name so badly, but continued on "and you."

"Same here Hina-chan. We'll do Shika-kun first then. You got any ideas?"

"Shikamaru-kun li-likes shogi and c-clouds… So-some new shogi pieces m-maybe?" Hinata suggested shyly. No matter how many times she was asked things by Ino, she still wasn't used to giving out her opinion so freely. Another unfortunate product of Hiashi's training, she had never been allowed to suggest improvements for herself, or what sort of training they could do.

"Yeah! Good thinking Hina-chan. Let's go!" And so, the two set off Christmas shopping.

_**2 hours later…**_

It was nearing 12, so the two now shop-lagged toddlers trudged back to the blonde of the pair's family shop, big bags weighing them down.

Hinata had had a great time; since she had quite the bit of money to spend (30,000 ryo) she ended up buying more than just presents. She bought Christmas decorations (from the market for a good price), wrapping paper, Christmassy food and treats.

The presents that the two had bought for their friends were shared between them, as in they split the cost in half and said that they would give their presents to their friends from both of them. The reason for this is because the two had ended up buying quite high quality presents.

For Shikamaru, it was beautifully hand carved shogi pieces. The pair (especially Ino) had been keen hagglers and ended up getting them at a discount. They had cost 4000 ryo between the two.

Choji was going to get 2 all-you-can-eat tickets to his favourite meat grill downtown, and some food-orientated earrings as he had recently gotten his ears pierced. That had come up to another 3500 ryo.

As for Kiba, it was a giant jar of beef steak jerky (he loved anything chewy) and a newer, bigger copy of his favourite grey coat with a fluffy hood and sleeves, as his old one was a little dog-eared. That had come up to 3000 ryo.

And lastly, the two bought a fake novelty Hokage hat, some smoke bombs and 2 tickets for the Itchiraku ramen stand for Naruto (strangely enough, it was Hinata who contributed the ideas for what Naruto would like). Naruto's presents had cost the least (2000), as the Itchiraku stand had given them generous discounts for the tickets because of who they were buying them for. Hinata was going to make the smoke bombs herself, but the ones in the shop looked so much smaller and neater than the ones she could produce, so she chose the shop ones.

For Ino (and Hinata had somehow made the nosey blonde stay out of the shop she bought the present in) Hinata had bought a silver gilt charm bracelet as Ino had always liked sparkly, pretty things and it fit the bill perfectly. It had 6 delicate flower charms hanging from it, one representing each of Ino's friends. Naruto's was an orange rose, Shikamaru's a ripe dandelion, Choji's a pitcher plant, Kiba's a miniature dog flower bush, Ino's was a mountain laurel and Hinata had represented herself with a light purple moonflower. Since it was silver coated, it had come up to 5000 ryo. Normally, Hinata would have felt horrified at herself for spending so much on so little, but the people who the gifts were for meant more to her than her entire Clan so really she didn't mind. It was Christmas, a time for heavy spending and cheer after all.

Hinata wondered with as much enthusiasm as she could (since thoughts of an angry Naruto's face clouded her mind) about how everyone was going to react when they received their presents. She had done quite a bit of research (eavesdropping mostly) into her best friends' interests and she had tried to base her gifts around them.

As for the rest of the money that was left over (18750), Hinata had splurged on a small but healthy Christmas tree (which was to be delivered to her apartment), some baubles and tinsel, fairy lights for both inside and out, two stockings, some candy canes and mince pies and a small frozen turkey which Hinata was worried about cooking. Even after all that, Hinata still had money to spare, so she gave it to the poorer of Konoha. Ino had been reluctant to go near the scruffier individuals of the Leaf, but Hinata's compassion won and they both (Hinata did not force her friend, Ino did it of her own accord) ended up giving what was left of their money to every homeless person they saw. Hinata had told a slightly humbled Ino that Christmas should be a happy time for all, not just those with money.

They met a relieved looking Inoichi back at Ino's home store. Hinata apologized shyly about going off before they could answer to his question. Ino's good natured father had laughed the polite explanation and told the small blue head not to worry, so Hinata didn't.

The two girls wrapped up the presents (Hinata had gone out of the room to do Ino's, and Ino had disappeared out of the room with a mysterious package too) before agreeing that they should be kept at Ino's as a particular blonde was wandering round Hinata's apartment.

Ino had found out (along with Inoichi) about Hinata moving out of the Hyuga household and into a shared apartment with Naruto. Both Ino and her father had invited her to stay at their house, but Hinata had insisted that she and Naruto were quite happy (well, they _were_). So the blonde Yamanaka's had relented, but they both kept a quiet eye on Hinata and her roommate.

Neither Ino nor Inoichi knew exactly what had happened though. They didn't know she had been thrown out of the Clan altogether and branded with an upgraded Cursed Seal. All they knew was that Hinata didn't live with her blood relatives anymore. Hinata had been fine with them knowing about her living conditions, but she still couldn't bring herself to confess about her true standing in the Clan. It was so shameful to be exiled from you're Clan, especially when you were Clan Heiress. Hinata promised to tell the truth one day, when she was ready for the embarrassment and disgrace that would come from people afterwards.

When they were done, it was getting to sunset (as Hinata and Ino had talked and done other girly things as well as wrapping) and it was time for Hinata to leave. Not before she was asked something of course.

"Hey, I forgot Hina-chan, Choji-kun has invited you and Naruto over for Christmas dinner. It totally slipped my mind and you've already brought a turkey! Ah well, bring the turkey as a gift, they will love it! If you wanna go, meet me here on Christmas day at 12 kay?" Ino chattered, whilst Hinata blushed in pleasure.

She had been invited to a party of sorts. The only thing she had ever been invited to back at home was harsh training sessions. This would be different, Hinata would be surrounded by people, a scary thought for someone like her, but she knew they were all very friendly (she had felt it when she had met Choji's-parents one time) and would do her no harm. Well, they may feed her a little too much, but hey, she was a growing girl.

So, they blue head went home, just in time for the tree to be delivered. The delivery man had insisted that he carry it inside for her, but Hinata, not wanting to make him go out of his way, simply powered up her arms with chakra and carried it in herself, much to the man's surprise. Hinata decided that she liked the look of astonishment on the mans face, but she scolded herself for being so open with her abilities. It was a minor slip up, and wouldn't be likely to happen again. Hinata just hoped the man would forget about it.

Manoeuvring the small yet impossibly heavy tree inside her apartment, she thought hard about whether she should get Naruto to come and decorate it with her. Yes, he was still furious with her, but… It was their first Christmas together, and she wanted to spend it with him with no cold feelings towards each other.

Turning on her Byakugan, Hinata searched for the face of Naruto in the negative. She found him in his room, studying a scroll (one that she had lent to him).

Knocking ever so softly, she turned off her Byakugan and prayed that he would answer. Luckily, she heard 'come in', although it was a little gruff. He sounded like he hadn't been speaking for a while. In truth, he probably hadn't; he never went out anymore, he locked himself in his room and read through the various scroll his roommate had let him borrow.

To Hinata, it was heartbreaking. To her, Naruto was a big ball of energy, which burned so brightly for all and gave everyone he met a little bit of happiness. This Naruto… Was dark, moody, secluded and unreachable; like his light had been locked away and joy came from him no more. This Naruto didn't play, didn't speak, didn't smile. And it tore up Hinata's already shredded conscience.

So, maybe, just maybe, the spirit of Christmas would bring back his light and everything would be fine once again.

Meeting those sky blue eyes, a little piece of Hinata _died _inside. They were a mixture of fear and hopelessness. But, a small part of Hinata wondered, what could he be afraid of?

She saw no… anger, no fury in those azure orbs. More questions sprang up in Hinata's overworked mind.

"N-Naruto-kun… I-"she broke off. She had to… apologise first. Not that she had any trouble with saying that one little word, but Naruto didn't look like he wanted to hear the word 'sorry' right now. She said it anyway. "I'm sorry."

Naruto shrunk back a little into the wall. A strange sense of déjà vu flooded her mind; this was like their argument, but in opposite. Naruto was cowering into the wall, and Hinata was talking.

"W-what for Hinata… chan?" Naruto rasped. He swallowed quite loudly and coughed once. "What for?" it sounded quite normal this time. A little part of her brain registered that he called her chan, which made her a little happier.

"I-you, y-you said I-I didn't care… I-I do… I'm s-sorry if y-you thought o-otherwise."

Shock filtered clouded Naruto's features, and then he looked… like he was the one in true grief.

"P-please Hinata-chan, I… Don't be sorry. It was my fault." He sighed, still pressing his body into the wall behind him.

"No!" Hinata protested. "No, I-I should have t-told you, but I… h-had no t-time."

"I'm not angry at you Hinata-chan… I got over that ages ago." He flashed a smile at her, but it was half-hearted, not the brilliant grin she was used to.

"T-then… why have y-you been… well… here?" she shyly gestured around the room.

Naruto looked impossibly, uncharacteristically nervous. "I-I wanted to get strong, ya know, so I could become Hokage."

_Lies! He-he's lying! _Hinata's brain shouted to herself. She trusted Naruto, but the feeling she got… It was like feeling someone's aura. She _knew _deep down, he wasn't telling the truth.

There was a heavy silence where Hinata stared down Naruto. It was odd for her, keeping eye contact like this for so long, but… she felt in a happier circumstance, like chatting for instance, she could possible like meeting someone's eyes. She could read their emotions so much better then.

"You don't believe me do you Hinata-chan?" said blue head shook her head. There was another pregnant silence. "It's because… I'm afraid of myself."

"W-what?"

"Can I… trust you?" Hinata nodded in bewilderment. Naruto closed his eyes, as if waiting for an executioner.

"I… am a demon."

_N-no… _Hinata's mind protested. _Y-you are no demon Naruto-kun… I have seen demons in my life… Even called one my father… You don't even come close to his evil. _

"R-really? Y-you know a demon too?" Naruto asked, voice comically (if anything could be funny in this situation) high pitched. She had said it out loud, but she hadn't known.

"Not exactly N-Naruto-k-kun. H-he… acted like one. H-he did things a d-demon w-would do… and enjoyed them." Her mind flashbacked to when he inked the Cursed Seal on her, and _smiled._

"Oh… I… don't like… being mean… I like pranks… Am I evil too?" he asked, with a true childlike look in his eyes.

"No. You a-are g-good Naruto-k-kun. Y-you don't w-want to hurt any-anyone?" she said it more of a question than a statement.

"No! But… I am a demon Hinata-chan. And… I-I'm scared." Naruto's eyes went glossy, and without thinking, Hinata walked up to him and gave him a hug. Naruto was tense, and to tell the truth, Hinata was scared too. Scared of contact, scared of being rejected, scared for Naruto. But seeing him in such acute pain… she couldn't do it. She had to do something, no matter how small or insignificant it may be. And if Naruto needed someone to hug him and tell him it was okay, Hinata would put her own fear aside and gladly help him.

She was aware of wetness on her shoulder, so she shifted carefully onto the bed and held her roommate whist he cried. It was so terrible, seeing her light break like this, but she couldn't cry. She had to be strong, she couldn't cry along with him.

She was pretty unsure what to do next, as when she cried, usually her father ignored her. Once or twice, when her mother had visited her, she had held her like Hinata was holding Naruto now. Hinata hadn't cried around her mother… Because her father threatened her. He had said if she cried around her mother, he and her mother would argue and _he didn't want_ _that_. He hadn't directly threatened her, but it had been there in the _tone_ of his voice.

But, Hinata's mother had treated her like she was crying anyway. She had sung the most beautiful lullaby's to Hinata, whilst rocking her back and forth. She did the same for Naruto. She doubted her voice was as pure and lovely as her mothers, but she sang anyway.

Eventually, the low sobs that came from the blonde boy stopped, and she ceased her soft singing as well.

A few minutes went by, and then the small blonde in Hinata's lap looked up. He had a glazed, sleepy look in his eyes, but he didn't sleep. He talked instead.

"Thank you Hina-chan… I… I am ready to tell you now." Naruto rubbed his eyes groggily. "You-you can hate me after this." Hinata gritted her teeth stubbornly; she could never truly hate him, no matter what he said. Whatever he had done… She could learn to forgive. "You may know, but the fox-demon attacked on the 10th of October, now 5 years ago. The same day as my birthday." Hinata had a small, fuzzy inkling as to where this was going, but she couldn't be sure.

"M-my idol, the 4th Hokage, battled the 9-Tailed fox."

"H-he k-killed it? D-didn't he?" Hinata shyly finished. And the answer that came threw her off completely.

"No. It-It's inside… Of me."

xXx

A whole hour of talk commenced after that one sentence. Naruto had explained that he wondered why he had felt so angry at Hinata on that day when he shouted at her. Hinata told him that his eyes went red. It had been quiet for a while after that, but talk resumed.

Naruto had also said he found the Seal on his stomach when he was taking a shower and he wanted his shampoo bottle to stick to his hand. He showed a blushing Hinata the Seal. She studied it, but her little knowledge of seals didn't even help. The Seal was far too complex for a 4 (nearly 5) year old, to comprehend.

He said he hadn't known what the Seal was for, so he had gone to the library. He found a really old volume on Seals, called _Jinchuriki Techniques_. He had studied it and found out what his seal was. He then went on to say it didn't take him long to connect the dots… His birthday, the strange seal, the 9-tailed fox… that unexplainable, unforgivable anger.

When the final detail was explained, Naruto curled up into a ball sitting up and looked at Hinata, as if waiting for her to explain now. True fear stirred in the blonde's eyes, and Hinata felt sickened. _W-why? W-why is he a-afraid? S-surely he-he knows I-I won't t-touch him? _

But Naruto did not know that. All his life, he had been treated as a pariah, an infectious disease to all the villagers he met; save the Itchiraku Ramen people and _some_ninja families. He was used to the glares and whispers, being ignored and hated. When he had found out, he had hated himself a little too. That fox demon had slaughtered more Konoha people than a Shinobi World War in a single night (he knew, he had checked). Everyone had lost someone, whether it had been a ninja fighting for Konoha, or an innocent civilian trying to get away to safety. Men, women, children, pets, houses, graves, statues… Nothing had been completely unharmed. That was why Naruto had hidden away; he didn't want to hurt anyone else. He truly believed that people's life would be better if he locked himself up. But ultimately, that wasn't enough. Naruto had been under great pressure, and his secret cracked to the one person who had almost seen the true demon for themselves. And now, he was waiting for the scorn and the hate to come from her. He would accept it, but… He wouldn't get over it.

"O-okay N-Naruto-kun. I-It's okay." Confusion clouded the beautiful blue eyes. "I-I" she sighed at herself quietly, this wasn't the sentence to stutter. She couldn't seem hesitant about her answer, because then he wouldn't believe her. "I don't hate you Naruto-kun." There! She had done it, speaking normally. True, she almost whispered it, but Naruto seemed to hear.

"R-really?" he whispered himself, a look of… almost elation in his eyes.

"Really… I-It's not you-your fault… Y-You were c-chosen to h-hold i-it and p-protect u-us all… H-How could I b-be angry N-Naruto-kun?" Naruto threw himself off the bed and placed his arms around her, but quite gently. Hinata forced herself to relax, it was only Naruto and she had hugged him earlier after all. He meant no harm. Still… sometimes asking for a hug would help.

She smiled into the taller blondes shoulder. Her light… No, everyone's light was burning again. Her face was flushed with happiness, Naruto was himself again!

When he let go, she quickly told him about being invited to Choji's for Christmas, and the fact that she had bought decorations for the apartment today. She asked him whether he wanted to put up everything with her. The news of being invited to a dinner combined with the offer of putting up Christmas decorations with Hinata made him so happy that he quite literally bounced off the walls for a couple of minutes. When he cooled off, they both eagerly started transforming their slightly drab home into a festive place.

Two hours of placing trees, arranging ornaments, making paper chains, wrapping fairy lights around both inside the apartment and out and then finally placing their stockings (one orange, one purple) above their little electric fire later, the two both collapsed on the sofa (which was lightly decorated with red and green paper chains) and fell asleep quickly.

_**Christmas Eve…**_

The small figure of Hinata Hiuga crept inside her own apartment, small bag of goodies in hand. Inside the two stockings that were hung limply above the fireplace she placed unequal amounts of presents in them. The orange one had more in than the purple, but 'Santa' didn't mind. She was very happy that she could afford to give Naruto presents; the look on his face when he saw would be priceless.

She was about to tiptoe back to her room when a noise disturbed her.

Sweat immediately made her hands clammy and her heart thundered so loudly in her chest she wondered why the intruder couldn't detect it.

The intruder in question was a rather large fellow, and Hinata could just make out a silver beard in the moonlight. She stopped sweating, but her heartbeat continued on furiously, not from fear, but from excitement. _It was Santa Clause!_

There was no mistaking it, the red suit, the brown sack, the beard. He took the mince pie that the children of the apartment left on the fireplace, along with the carrot, before laying presents under their small but well decorated tree.

She was _so_ tempted to use her Byakugan, but Santa's identity had to be a secret, and she doubted he wanted anyone to know. She didn't want to make the magical man angry.

"Merry Christmas Santa." Hinata couldn't resist whispering. The bulky figure, clad in what she could see now as red, turned their head to the side and chuckled deeply.

"Merry Christmas, Hinata and Naruto." The beefy figure rumbled.

"Merry Christmas, believe it Santa." Another voice murmured. _N-Naruto? H-had h-he seen me? O-oh d-dear! _Quickly, she bowed to the big man and raced back into bed. She prayed that Naruto hadn't seen her.

Sleep would not come easily because of her excitement and wonder, but it did come eventually. Hinata submitted to unconsciousness and prayed that morning would come soon.

xXx

"Hinata-chan, Hinata-chan! Wake up! Santa's been, ya know last night! BEILEVVVEEE IT! OHH MY KAMII!" the loud, obnoxious (in this case) voice of Naruto bellowed out, seemingly right next to poor Hinata's ear.

She nearly rolled off the bed in shock, but the hyperactive blonde quickly set her right again. She opened her mouth to say thank you, but the blonde interrupted.

"Don't say thanks! C'mon Hina-chan, presents WOO!"

Her grogginess vanished as she remembered the mysterious figure of 'Santa' she had seen last night. _W-who could it b-be? _The blue head wondered to herself, whilst Naruto grabbed her hand and quiet literally dragged her out of bed. She followed his lead obediently, wanting to get to the presents herself. But they were forgetting something.

"Breakfast first Naruto." Hinata said firmly. In her excitement, she stopped stuttering, but didn't realise this until much later.

Reluctantly, Naruto agreed and they both had the quickest breakfast of their lives consisting of toast and water. They ate little due to the bundle of nerves filling their bellies and the fact that they were going to the Akimichi's for dinner, where they were bound to come home at least 2 stone heavier.

When the last mouthful of buttered toast was swallowed and the last drop of water drank, the two finally got to their presents. It took them 20 minutes to open them all, since they took their time on each one. Neither of them had _really _celebrated Christmas before, since Hinata's father wasn't really a festive kinda person (but her mother had snuck a couple of sweets and a toy to her on the sly. The sweets had been eaten… But the toy had been found) and Naruto… He hadn't really had anyone to celebrate it with. He only really started hanging round with his 'ninja' friends when they were allowed to go out (which was age 4).

They were very grateful for every present, and their list went as follows.

_Naruto_

_2 boxes mince pies (stocking)_

_5 candy canes (stocking)_

_Orange scarf (tree)_

_Noodle patterned pyjama's (tree)_

_Frog-like purse dubbed Gamachan (tree)_

_4 fake shuriken (stocking)_

_2 fake kunai (stocking)_

_3 T-Shirts (orange, blue and white)_

_1 pair of combat pants (dark green)_

_New ninja sandals_

_Hinata_

_1 box mince pies (stocking)_

_3 candy canes (stocking)_

_Beginner Ninja: Seals (stocking)_

_Genin Level: Chakra control (stocking)_

_Genin Level: Taijutsu (tree)_

_Genin Level: Genjutsu (tree)_

_Genin Level: Ninjutsu (tree)_

_2 real shuriken (tree)_

_1 real kunai (tree)_

_Fox toy dubbed Kit (tree)_

_Moonflower hair clip (tree)_

She looked curiously at the fox toy, and Naruto blushed.

"Well… since… y'know… I just hope you like it Hina-chan. And the flower clip… I heard you like moo… moonflowers, believe it!" Hinata beamed at Naruto and clipped the delicate yet fake clip into her morning bed hair (she had forgotten to brush), then she gave the cute fox toy a big hug.

"I-I hope you like p-present… W-when y-you get i-it…" Hinata stuttered, looking shyly at Naruto's shocked face.

"W-wait… You've got me something _else? _I'm fine with the sweets you got me Hina-chan. I saw you last night." _O-oh Kami-sama… why? _Hinata cried within her own mind.

"Anyway, you didn't have to do anything else… This is… more than I have ever had before." Naruto smiled brightly, and Hinata couldn't help but smile back. It was more than she ever got too.

"Alright Hina-chan, we'll go get ready to go to Choji-kun's yeah?" Naruto asked. Hinata was itching to get into her new books and obtain knowledge, but it was Christmas so she could take a break. The thing was, she had grown to_ like_ studying. The thrill of getting new knowledge and trying out new things tha the scrolls instructed was unlike anything Hinata had known. It was almost like an addiction. She was addicted to the rush of pleasure she got when she got something right. It only lasted a couple of seconds, but that didn't matter. She could always learn something new.

She nodded anyway, he always took a while to get ready, and so she would have a little time to pour over the volumes. Whoever 'Santa' was, she thanked him from where she stood, as the books were pretty expensive and she had finished her Beginner Ninja series ages ago. The book on basic Seals was good to, as the book she had couldn't give her any new comprehension on what she had heard to be the hardest of all ninja arts.

_**5 hours later…**_

The Yamanaka flower shop was in sight, and a pale eyed girl and her partner could make out three figures, one of which came dashing up to her.

"Hina-chan, you came!" Ino shouted gleefully, and crushed her friend with frightening strength into a one sided glomp.

"N-need a-air I-Ino-c-chan!" the blue head gasped, whist the both blondes laughed. She got her request and Hinata's lungs expanded gratefully with air. Hinata had learned just how underrated air was when she was with these two due to the fact that they crushed the life out of her with every single hug they gave.

After some light chit-chat, the trio went back to the shop, where Ino's parents stood. Hinata's shyness factor came on again when she saw Ino's blonde mother; as she didn't know her well. Hinata had only seen her three times during her friendship with Ino.

Nevertheless, Hinata was polite to her and Inoichi, and got politeness in return. When greetings were over, they set off for the Akimichi house hold.

Hinata just hoped she wouldn't explode when they were all finished eating.

xXx

A stuffed blue head collapsed onto the sofa of her apartment home, whist another person fell onto the floor and groaned painfully.

"I r-really shouldn't h-have had a e-eating contest…" Naruto whined, clutching his stomach.

Hinata was no better herself. She had eaten far too much and was suffering the consequences. However, there was a herbal remedy for indigestion. She just prayed that she could get it past the 'food wall'.

Slowly, the stuffed girl hobbled around her kitchen, getting various ingredients for the tea that would relive both her and Naruto of some pain.

Whist she was brewing up the aid, she thought about the party itself.

It had been loud, what with all the families dining there, but not really crowded as funnily enough the Akimichi's owned a huge compound. Every room was spacious and the doorways were large too.

Usually, loud crowds of excitable (well, not in the Nara's case) people scared Hinata, but the spirit of Christmas really shone and it felt to Hinata like they were all one big, happy family. Where she fit in, she didn't really know. She guessed Naruto felt the same, the two didn't belong in a real family, it was like they were just onlookers. But still, they had had a great time, especially when it came to presents.

Hinata was beyond ecstatic to find Choji, Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto and Ino was very happy about their presents, and overwhelmed herself because she had gotten some in return.

Shikamaru had received the shoji pieces well, he also go some little shoji earrings (as he was going to get his ears pierced soon) and a book on clouds from Naruto and Kiba, and from Choji he got a year ticket to the local fish restaurant (as the Akimichi's owned a _lot _of Konoha's food business) so he could eat there for free.

When Kiba received his present of the coat and the jerky, he immediately shrugged of his old, tattered coat (he hadn't gotten a new one for Christmas) and put on the new one and then settled down with a piece of beef jerky to chew. From Naruto, Choji and Shikamaru (as they had all chipped in to get it) a _massive _pop up book about dogs. Kiba was content with his haul and sat down with the book, looking interestedly at the pop up pictures and occasionally mumbling facts to himself.

Choji, to no ones surprise, received mostly food tickets. He had chuckled at the sight of the coupons that would bring him so much joy. Kiba, Naruto and Choji had also gotten him tickets to his favourite Korean BBQ bar, but they had gotten him 2 weeks worth (which made Ino and Hinata feel disgruntled). He had been extremely happy about his present of more BBQ tickets and he had replaced his Akimichi swirl earrings with turkey earrings that Hinata and Ino had bought him (he chose turkey for the festiveness).

Naruto himself had run around the compound screaming in joy at the Hokage hat, whilst wearing it with pride. Hinata saw candy cane wrappers in one of the pockets of his new combat trousers, and felt guilty. _N-no m-more sweets for h-him… _From Choji, he got some Itchiraku Ramen tickets (6), Shikamaru gifted him with a humongous jar of jelly noodles (much to Hinata's fear) and Kiba had gotten him some new blue trainers because his old ones were too small and pretty worn.

Ino had shrieked (literally) at the sliver gilt charm bracelet, and vowed to wear it for ever and ever. All the guys liked the representation of the delicate flower charms too. Shikamaru had gotten Ino some low-fat sweets as the blonde was already obsessed with being thin, Choji had gotten her some tickets to a pudding bar, Naruto had gave her small, flower orientated jewellery (which she wore with pride) and Kiba had given her a little dog necklace.

Hinata herself had received (in her eyes) far too much. From Ino, it was a silver moonflower necklace, Kiba had gotten her a dog bracelet, Shikamaru had given her various scrolls on herbs and training (she looked at him a little suspiciously, but he had just held a finger to his lips) and Choji had given her 20 coupons for a cinnamon roll. She couldn't refuse the amazing presents she had been given, but she felt guilty that they had given her as much as they did.

Hinata's herbal brew had finished boiling, so she poured two cups of it before taking it to Naruto, who still lay on the carpet. They both forced it down pass the dreaded 'food wall' and then said goodnight.

Hinata fell asleep to the sound of Naruto snoring. The walls were pretty thin, but the sound comforted her in an odd way. It reminded her that someone liked her enough to stay with her.

She just prayed it would last.

xXx

*Uggs

Yeah, I know it is summer but ah well, I like Christmas and it fitted with the story timeline :) xx Sorry for not going into detail, but I wanted to get on with the story (lazy I know)

Flower meanings of the charm bracelet: Yeah, I like symbolism.

Orange Rose (Naruto): It's orange, Naruto's signature colour, and it's a swirl, like the Uzumaki crest. Plus, because I'm English, it's a royal flower and Naruto wants to become Hokage, so I thought it fitted.

Ripe Dandelion (Shikamaru): Dandelions float along with the breeze, like Shikamaru wants to do. Plus, it looks like a cloud.

Pitcher Plant (Choji): It eats real meat. Choji loves meat. Get my drift?

**Dog** Plant (Kiba): Need I say more?

Purple Moonflower (Hinata): It was the same flower that Ino had given to Hinata in chapter 2, so that flower means a lot to Hinata. Plus, it's delicate like Hinata and it's the same colour as her eyes.

Mountain Laurel (Ino herself): Ino's name means boar/hog, and they live on mountains. Mountain Laurel=mountain=where boars live=boars=Ino's name.

Until next time… Ingat! (Learnt from the amazing reviewer Faux Princess, thanks for that. It means take care in Filipino) xxx


	9. Chapter 8

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Hello, my amazing reviewers, and readers.

New chappie introduces a very familiar character, some like, some don't. I am one that doesn't, and to any fans of them I am not going to bash exactly, but there's gonna be a little drama. You might find yourself not liking them a little. Sorry! xx

**ShyWolf:** I'll try not to be boring! But this is going to be a slow moving story I think, because when I read reviews on other stories people always complain that the story moves too fast or someone gets too powerful too quickly. I try and put detail in on how Hinata is doing every once and awhile so I don't just make her too awesome all of a sudden.

**Anon chan:** Might find out xx

**Neku-Renku:** Thanks, it was good, but tiring. We walked a 10 mile hike in midday when it was around 30 degree's. X

**Echo Uchiha:** Lol one word as always x short and sweet thanks xx

**Failure-chan**: And yosh, Filipino's unite! Xx Although I am British :) Still… xx

Enjoy x

Chapter 8

Hinata's birthday and New Year had passed, and little or no drama had occurred. Hinata had insisted that her birthday not be celebrated, as they had just had Christmas and she had nothing else to ask for. She still got birthday cards, but that was it, because they didn't want to push their newest addition to the group.

The real reason Hinata never celebrated growing up was because her 'family' hadn't. To her 'family' Hinata's growing up meant that she was getting closer to the position of Clan Leader whilst remaining weak. But no one she truly cared for knew that and Hinata liked to keep it that way.

As for New Year, the whole village had turned out for a brilliant fireworks display, including Hinata and her gang of friends. They all made resolutions as they watched the coloured gunpowder explode and illuminate the inky black sky with twisting, twirling lights.

_Choji: I will try and share my food more!_

_Ino: I will be more polite to daddy!_

_Naruto: I'll become Hokage! BEILEVE IT!_

_Kiba: I __will__ clean my room!_

_Shikamaru: So… tired… Hmm… I want to find out about Hinata._

_Hinata: I will keep my promises, no matter what!_

xXx

Spring was here, and all the flowers were in bloom. As Hinata predicted, with the town becoming more beautiful and fragrant by the day, more tourists came and bought things, so shop prices would lower. As for her herbal remedy business, it was still going strong as with the flowers came the pollen. And with the pollen came requests of relief from hay fever, and then came the money.

Currently, the blue head was with her friends, or more correctly, her adopted family.

Underground had become a familiar place for Hinata lately. She hadn't been allowed to visit during Christmas and through winter as her furry summons/friends where trying to catch up on hibernation. Their hibernation had been interrupted by the birth of the pups.

But as soon as spring arrived, they awoke and let their mistress visit them whenever she pleased, as long as she brought no one else with her.

Right now, she was sat with Slick, one of the most intelligent animals she had ever met. The downside was that he had the most greasy fur and it wasn't very nice to sit next to him because when he brushed her, it felt like someone had coated her arm (or any other bit of her skin that he had touched) with oil. However, this didn't bother Hinata, she just ignored it. Everyone had their faults.

She had no true favourite, but she had a soft spot for the pup Shadow (named as she had pure black fur). She couldn't speak (unlike Streak, the other pup, talked so much that it made up for her silence), but that didn't matter. She was already a brilliant fighter and one of the largest mongeese in the group, but she was so gentle and easy to talk to as she never turned away or ignored the blue head. Shadow would listen attentively, and although she couldn't reply, it was comforting to have Shadow's coal black eyes giving Hinata attention. Hinata and Shadow played together like best friends and Hinata whispered secrets to her like a sister.

Her study partners in the group were Slick and Silky. They balanced each other out; Silky was chatty and bossy, whereas Slick was laid back and quite quiet. The two together made Hinata's 'lessons' as she liked to call them, pretty interesting. Silky had a habit of rushing through her words, and Slick always corrected her, much to a disgruntled Silky. The two helped her on every subject she could think of, Seals, Ninjutsu, herbs, Genjutsu and of course, the history of the mongeese. If she didn't understand something or simply wanted to ask a question about a bit of text, she knew where to come for the answer. For instance, Hinata had asked once about how old summoner Mongeese could live. The answer she got surprised her. Normal summons could live for up to 400 years, and as for the Big Kats, they could live for over 1000 years. Hinata had also asked about the Big Kats, but she had been told that she would learn about them properly in time.

The rest of the mongeese (save Streak, who she played with along with Shadow) helped her through physical training. Although they were animals, they were very agile and strong, and because they could infiltrate the most secure strongholds they naturally knew a lot of hidden techniques. They couldn't really perform them, but the knowledge was still there. And all that knowledge was passed on to Hinata. They trained her developing body to adapt to the natural world, and little by little, Hinata started to learn how to become one with the environment around her.

The Mongeese taught her tracking, like how to recognise the tiniest scents and sounds of the forest, the footprints of animals and the dangers of the wild. They taught her how to swim properly, and then how to act when faced with a current. They taught her how to move silently through trees, bushes, even underground. They said that using stealth can't just be for when you go through the forest, or when you are on a mission. They emphasized how stealthy movements must become part of her everyday life; she must move fluidly at all times if she wanted to master it. For most of the Mongooses stealth lessons, they spent time teaching her how to walk properly, until she walked correctly without even thinking. She hadn't quite gotten there yet, as it took a couple of years to adapt to moving like a hunter all the time, but it was working. She could successfully enter her apartment without Naruto knowing, even if he was in the kitchen (which he often was with his ramen addiction).

But the biggest parts of her training with the Mongeese were hand-to-hand fighting, meditation and using chakra.

Scar, the old, battle worn Mongoose, was the by far the best fighter of the group. He was the oldest and most feral Mongoose too, so naturally he was very experienced in all things bloody. Even though his 'aura' creeped Hinata out a little, she always gathered up the courage to ask him when she needed help.

Hinata (with the help of her furry friends) was developing her _own _style of fighting, which she based on water. Hinata felt (and the Mongeese agreed) that she was naturally flexible and pretty fast, like water, so her style was to be flowing, fluid and unpredictable like rushing aqua itself. She hadn't really gotten the actual fighting moves down yet, right now she was conditioning her body to bend, flex and twist in anyway possible at high speeds, quite like dancing. That part of her training consisted of yoga, stretching and sometimes running through the forest, with her summons to protect and encourage her.

The second part of her physical training was mediation. Not only did it build up her muscles and keep them firm, but it helped build up her chakra reserves too. Hinata found that her chakra control was near perfect, but her chakra capacity was lacking, so she built up her spiritual energy every day by meditating deeply on her bed in the mornings, or simply when she felt too tired. Not only did it benefit the strength aspect of her training, it helped her focus and relax which was what someone with a nervous disposition like hers needed.

The final part of her physical training was using her chakra. Lessons where her chakra was used was pretty rare as the Mongeese felt her chakra coils should grow fully before they were used, and instead she should train her body, but Hinata wanted to use her chakra anyway.

In the times she would use her chakra, she put her knowledge of lesser powerful jutsu (academy level or just simple exercises) to the test. Hinata also used her chakra for small, everyday things, like cutting up food and such. The blue head noticed that her chakra was getting more powerful, she needed to use less and less to perform things like cutting herbs, and it was pretty easy for her to cut through meat now too. Her chakra control got better too; on her finger she could form a visible needle-like chakra spear if she concentrated hard enough.

There were consequences though. One was the fact that her body was changing, not rapidly but noticeably, to adapt to her training. Her small muscles were getting bigger and she was losing her puppy fat gradually. Losing her puppy fat was bad as it covered up her newly developed muscles, therefore covering her traning. Because she wanted to keep her training a secret, she had to cover up her body with big coats and baggy pants, or just Transform subtly into a more vulnerable looking version of herself. She chose the first more often than the latter, even though the latter was a good exercise for building up chakra reserves. The thing was though, was that Hinata could never Transform the same way twice (and that could cause suspicion) and although her chakra coils were very resistant for her age, using them too much exhausted her and it was painful if she kept it up for too long.

Another unfortunate impact that the training caused was it took up _so much_ of her time. Since she was always looking for new ways to get stronger, faster, better, and so her social life suffered. Hinata tried to fit her friends in, but balancing between keeping her life's commitment and her playmates was _hard. _When she wasn't exhausted from playing with her friends, or cooking for a hungry Naruto, or cleaning up the apartment, she was living her 'other' life, the one where she trained relentlessly, ran constantly and snuck around. But the tired blue head couldn't moan, she fell deeply asleep every night and the benefits outweighed the consequences. Her life was fulfilling but a lot of hard work. She just had to keep her cover. But… she feared she had already lost it…

xXx

The shade cooled the humiliated girls flushed skin, but it didn't dry the sweat than ran down her forehead because of her fringe.

They had been calling her it again… even though she took the time to cover her forehead and suffer the heat… they still picked on her. She could understand if it was about her hair colour, as it was a candy-floss _pink_. She didn't care about her hair colour; she was unique in that respect and proud of it. But the bullies picked on her weak spot, as bullies so often cruelly do.

So, the pink head kid hid amongst the trees, away from the teasing and the sneering. She had been watching a particular group of kids play for a few weeks now. She was so envious of them, yet the other children talked about them all the time, but… it never seemed to affect them. They always looked so happy and content.

There were six of them, 4 boys and 2 girls.

One, she observed, was laidback and had his hair up in a black, pineapple-like ponytail. She had heard other kids talking about how boring and lazy he was; he never played out with them because he liked to watch the clouds, which was what he was doing now.

Another one she recognised, he used to hang around with the bullies. He had never picked on her at all, perhaps because he had been the at the brunt of abuse before because of his size. He had honey coloured hair, and red swirls on his rather large cheeks. He had been picked on because he was chubbier than most, but to the pink haired girl, the chubby boy didn't look like he had had a hard day in his life; he was content with sitting and eating beside the pineapple headed boy.

The third boy was tanned and quite doggish. Her bullies used to gossip about him all the time, giggling about how he smelt like a wet dog and how scruffy his clothes were. But the pink head had smelt the boy before, he smelt like soap with a faint undertone of dog, but it wasn't at all a nauseous smell. As for his clothing, it simply looked used, not scruffy in any manner. In fact, the coat he liked to wear was quite stylish.

The last boy of the group was one of her bullies' favourite victims. Although they never actually went up to the boy, the mean kids always took their time when they saw him to call out a few insults. He had golden blonde hair, blue eyes and cool looking whisker marks on his cheeks. The bullies would shout things that weren't even true, like how his clothes were cheap (they were simple, but they looked fine and price didn't really matter), his hair was dirty (it was a beautiful shade of blonde and it only had a few twigs in it sometimes after he had had a rough play) and how annoying he was. True, he was a little loud, but the pink head saw that as a sign of self-confidence, and the loud, playful blonde always had a smile on his face. Sometimes though, his smile didn't quite look right.

Then, there were the two girls. The girl bullies like to bitch about them a lot.

One had short blonde hair and blue eyes; in fact, if it weren't for her pale skin, she and the blonde boy could possibly be siblings. But, on closer inspection, the boy and the girls eye shades were different and the girl had a dark ring going around her iris and to her knowledge, they weren't related in any way. The girl was loud and confident (something the pink head was jealous of) and wore very stylish clothes, which the bullies called tacky.

The other girl was her bullies' favourite by far. She was petite and small, with a delicate bone structure but she had enough puppy fat on her to look childish. She wore baggy clothes, so her bullies assumed she was fat underneath. Sakura (for that was the girls name) didn't know, nor did she care. The girl had midnight blue hair which shone brightly in the sun, but her bullies just said it was badly dyed. Funny they said that to the petite girl instead of her. She had perfect pale skin, creamy almost, even though she was out in the sun a lot. Other kids called her a vampire, but in truth her skin looked beautiful. She looked_ beautiful_. But… then were her _eyes_. Even Sakura had to admit they were unusual. Her eyes were pupil-less and a delicate shade of lavender purple, and they had a dark purple-blue ring around the iris, separating the iris from the white of her eye. Another trait Sakura noticed is that she was quite shy and polite, and had a prominent stutter. That was a big target for the bullies.

Individually, the kids would have been picked off one by one, ganged up on until they were broken or found a way to stop it. But together, the group looked like they could do anything, so people left them alone. Sakura could see why, they looked so perfect and happy, it was almost threatening. Maybe that was why other's stayed away, she didn't know or care. She wanted to be one of them.

Truth was, she didn't know _how_ to approach. Maybe… they would come to her in time. For now, she would stay in the shadows. But then… the bullies came once again.

xXx

A pink headed girl curled up on the bench in the midday sun, tears streaming down her red face. She couldn't take it anymore… She had no one; no one liked her enough to care… All because of her stupid forehead.

xXx

"I-Ino-chan? T-that girl… Do you t-think she is o-okay?" Hinata stuttered, glancing at a pink headed girl that was curled up on one of the benches of the park. In truth, Hinata had seen her before and was aware that she had been stalking her friends, but the blue head didn't know what she had wanted. But now, seeing her like that… It hurt her. Someone else's pain became her pain, and naturally, Hinata wanted to sooth it.

"I don't think she is… C'mon Hina-chan, let's go see what's up!" the two best friends set off towards the crying pink headed girl, who looked up in fear. Hinata's heart twisted, she was sick of seeing fear in other's eyes when she approached. _I wish… T-they would l-look at me n-normal… I-It hurts w-when they l-look at me l-like I-I am going t-to hurt th-them…_

Hinata tried first, although she was shy, she wanted to make this girl feel good as quickly as possible.

"U-Um… Hello… My name i-is Hinata. Wh-what's yours?" the blue head asked shyly, poking her fingers together. It was a habit she created for herself to appear even more innocent and weak than she already looked.

"S-Sakura H-Haruno…" she mumbled, but then Ino stepped in.

"Hey, you are mumbling, speak up!" Ino said whist Hinata gave her best friend a little frown. _S-she never s-speaks l-like that… n-not to me… So wh-why to her? _

"Sakura Haruno!" the pink head practically shouted, and Hinata took a small step back. She got why Ino had provoked her, to make her talk properly… But why didn't she do that with her? Hinata's head spun, what Ino had just done baffled her, went against everything she thought she knew about the blonde. But there again, she didn't have a wide range experience of people, so she didn't really know how to react, unlike Ino who was a social butterfly.

"Alright Sakura, why are you so sad?" Ino asked, still being quite blunt. Hinata was very confused, the tone Ino used actually got the girl to speak normally, but if Ino were to talk to her like that… Hinata wouldn't have been able to stand her.

"W-well…" Sakura mumbled, but she saw the look in Ino's eyes. "People bully me because of my forehead… Even though I-I cover it up."

Hinata didn't know what to feel. Yes, the girl was obviously miserable, but to let something as small as a forehead (metaphorically) get her worked up like this was… she couldn't say stupid, but… childish perhaps? Her forehead was indeed a little bigger than average, but it was nothing to cry about. _M-maybe… I-It's because I-I don't un-understand what i-it is to be bullied about something l-like that… I-I mean… I got p-picked on for b-being weak but I-I didn't cry t-too much… did I?_

"Well, duh, if you're gonna cover it up and make a fuss over it, of course people are gonna notice! One second..." Ino rooted around in her pocket and brought out a red ribbon. "It was hot today so I was gonna tie up my hair, but since you need it more than I do…" Ino stuck her tongue to the side and fixed Sakura's fringe back so her forehead was showing. Again, Hinata wondered to herself why Ino was being so forward towards this girl… And why was she taking it and… enjoying it. Sakura was smiling shyly at Ino, totally ignoring Hinata. Ino gave her a brilliant smile back, and Hinata tried for a smile too.

"Well Sakura, you look pretty now! No one should tease you about you're forehead now, it's like you're a totally different person! Confident, cool…" Ino rambled, whilst Hinata watched what was taking place without interfering. She was being replaced, and she knew it. "Alright, come with me and I will introduce you to the guys! Oh and by the way, I'm Ino and this is Hinata!"

"Okay…" Ino offered out her arm to Sakura, and then there was a pregnant pause before she offered out her arm to Hinata. It was almost like… She had forgotten Hinata was there.

At the playground, the three girls were interrogated about their whereabouts, and questions were asked about the 'newest' addition to their group. Hinata could take Sakura getting attention; she could even take being left out a little. But one thing broke her.

"She's so pretty… She's the prettiest thing I have ever seen!" Naruto gushed, whilst Hinata's heart… crumbled. She didn't understand… why his words hurt so much. _H-he likes her b-better than me… _She clutched at her heart that was pulsing and twisting painfully in her chest. She had lost so much already… Would she lose him too? She felt like crying, but no tears welled up in her eyes. She felt like screaming, but her voice had vanished. And what good would it do her; it would only get her embarrassing attention. Anyway, she couldn't act mean to Sakura, if Naruto liked her more… Then she would deal with it.

But she couldn't stay here. All eyes were on the blushing pink head, who was playfully (although it looked a little _too_ hard to be playful) hitting Naruto over the head.

She had to make an excuse to leave… but where would she go, who could she possibly talk to? She had relied on Ino to talk to about the little things… But Ino was busy right now. She noticed Shikamaru sat on the floor, not even sparing a glance for Sakura.

"S-Shikamaru-kun… I'm g-going home, I t-think I-I've caught the sun. T-tell the o-others I l-left when…" she looked to Sakura. "I-it goes q-quiet."

"Okay Hinata-chan…" the pineapple headed boy coughed. "Just for the record… Don't take Naruto's word to heart. He's kinda oblivious sometimes… To the obvious. Let's just say, you're like a sister to him _right now_."

Hinata couldn't answer, but bowed to Shikamaru, thinking deeply about his words. She was obvious… In what way?

Using her 'wallflower' technique, Hinata blended into the shrubs and then travelled through the forest, remembering to walk properly. She made sound still as she hadn't mastered the stealth part of her training yet (and she wouldn't until much later), but the gentle wind from the tree's covered the small sounds she did make.

She found herself going in the direction of the only 'people' she had left. The Mongeese were the only group of living things who hadn't let her down yet, or left her. Her family had disowned her; Tomoke-san (the old lady she had healed) had died in the New Year and now her 'friends' were ignoring her for someone else. And Hinata didn't have the heart to ask for attention that they obviously didn't want to give her.

Hinata would've liked to believe that she didn't need her 'friends' anyway, but in truth, she did. Spending time with her playmates was sometimes the only way she could remember that she was a child and a living, feeling person not a robot who wanted to become stronger so she wouldn't have to feel pain anymore, so she could protect people. But… what was the point in being strong if you had nothing, _no one_ to be strong for? Should she be strong for herself? For the village? For her 'friends'? These were questions she couldn't answer. And she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to answer them for a long time.

xXx

Autumn came around, and a lonely blue head sat beneath the orange-brown tree's, studying a large volume she had gotten last Christmas.

It was one of her favourite text books (if you could have a favourite text book) as it was pretty much the first time she had gotten a present. The thing that worried her was who she had gotten it from.

She stared at the worded page, reading but not quite taking it in. It had been a regular occurrence as of late, her mind had been so caught up in figuring out _why _Shikamaru had given her this book (and the many others) and not some sweets like he had for the rest of the 'gang', if she was even a part of that anymore.

The question as to whether Shikamaru knew about her had plagued her mind now she didn't really think much of the group anymore, not since Sakura came. Yes, she still cared for her friends, but… they didn't seem to have the time of day for her. Naruto was always going on about how pretty Sakura was, Kiba stuck with Naruto mostly (teasing Sakura or Ino) and Ino… Ino had been spending most of her time with the pink head, trying to get her to come out of her shell. Oh, Sakura had come out alright… Ino had transformed her into a loud, squealing… Hinata sighed; she shouldn't… have bad thoughts about the pink head. If people liked _her_ more, so be it. She wouldn't become like _her_ to fit in.

The only person her opinion hadn't changed on was Choji. The plump Akimichi was still kind and polite as ever (as well as hungry) and as for Shikamaru… Hinata couldn't help but think he was _far _to smart for his age, but she feel anything bad for him. She just… was curious as to how much he knew.

So curious in fact, that she had built up the courage to go and ask him about it. The Mongeese (who she spent the majority of her time with since playing with the 'gang' became less frequent) had told her (kindly) that she was daydreaming sometimes, so the blue had decided she couldn't train like this anymore, she had to _know._

Her stealth skills, though no where near perfected, had improved since she did more training than playing; she was able to creep around the apartment at any time without Naruto knowing she was in, which was useful, since she wanted to avoid his many speeches about Sakura.

Her walk had improved too, and according to the Mongeese, her centre of gravity was perfect. As for her speed and flexibility, they had improved greatly too, all the aches and pains of thoroughly worked muscles had been worth the result. Heck, she was coming to appreciate the burn exercise gave her, it meant she pushing to get stronger. As for her Gravity Seal, it was exactly a tenth of it full strength, which was 50 kilograms since the Seal was designed to weigh up to 500 kilograms. Since she had started at 1 kilogram, to increase the setting to 50 times more in a year (about) was incredible.

Her body seemed to move by itself to the Nara household, giving Hinata time to appreciate the smell of damp foliage, the cool gentle breeze that drifted around her and the feel of the dewy grass beneath her feet. She almost never wore shoes now; she liked exposing her feet as there was something about it that made her feel wild… free. The Mongeese were rubbing off on her.

Due to her new found speed and endurance, she got to Shikamaru's house in no time. Surrounding the quite luxurious house was forest, and Hinata's nose could pick up the scent of deer. She didn't know the Nara kept deer, but that didn't matter right now. Or so she thought.

She was about to knock on the large, oak door when a noise startled her. It was a complete déjà vu moment… It was an animal in pain.

Hinata stiffened and then her kind heart kicked in. She couldn't leave that animal there suffering.

Turning on her Byakugan, she concentrated and let the world become grey and focused. She was right in thinking that a deer was hurt. It was laying down, baying in fear, as it bled heavily from the gaping slash on its shoulder. It was a gruesome sight, but the Mongeese had been in a worse condition. She could do this.

Lessening her Gravity Seal, the blue head took off like a shot into the forest. She loved travelling without her Seal weighing her entire body down, she felt as light as a feather and as quick as a cheetah.

She was travelling so fast that she almost missed the injured animal. Turning off her Byakugan as not to frighten the already terrified deer (as the mutant tiger had been afraid), she stepped onto the ground and 'stealth walked' over to the wounded creature. The cut up animal let out a small moan of pain and fear as Hinata approached, but made no move as the blue head touched it with a glowing, green palm.

Hinata felt relieved as the animals shoulder began to steam up and close. She wanted to get this over with quickly as she didn't want to be caught trespassing, so she pumped all the chakra she could into her jutsu. In turn, it turned an even brighter green and a tingling sound rang through the air. When the injury was completely healed, the deer shot up from the ground. It looked at Hinata through thick eyelashes and then touched Hinata's forehead with its snout, before going off into the forest. Hinata gasped as chakra exhaustion set in; why did the Mystical Palm Technique take so much out of her this time, she had used it a lot before and it was only after she had healed all the Mongeese she had felt tired.

Turning round slowly, Hinata realised she wasn't alone. A small, pineapple headed child had been watching her with a mixture of awe and shock. For the first time in her life, Hinata cursed within her own mind.

_C-Crap! O-Oh Kami-s-sama! He knows! _

She couldn't run, she couldn't hide. He knew and there was nothing within her power she could do to make him forget. The boy had pretty much everything he wanted and no skeletons in his closet that she knew of so bribery or blackmail wasn't really an option. There was only one thing she could rely on; that Shikamaru was good at keeping secrets.

Panting a little, Hinata spoke first. "H-hello… Shikamaru-k-kun. S-sorry for tres-trespassing but…" she gestured to the blood on the ground.

"Understood." There was an awkward silence.

Hinata couldn't take it any longer. "How long and how did you know?" in her desperateness for an answer, she didn't mumble or stutter.

It came as a surprise to the Nara that the normally shy blue head could look in him the eyes and ask such a question. _Maybe her shyness was a cover too…? No, she's nervous again. Well… better not keep her waiting… Although… it's such a drag to get into this mess. _"I had my suspicions on you when we were kidnapped. I broke out the Genjutsu early and saw you're Byakugan… If you could really call it that. Those thugs said you didn't have the Byakugan, but I saw that you did so I thought you were… undercover in a way." Shikamaru scratched the back of his head lazily. "Another thing was that there was a mysterious herbs woman off round the village… And you were buying too many herbs from Ino to use all for yourself."

"Y-yes… I-I am that w-woman." Hinata admitted shyly.

"Thought so. Anyway, my suspicions increased when you started Transforming yourself and hiding you're body in big coats. I thought you were training… And you accepted my books without question, so I assumed you were training or just too polite to refuse a gift. And this… just confirms it." Shikamaru finished.

Hinata was quite blown away by this boy's intuition. It was kinda disappointing for Hinata that her efforts to conceal herself were in vain in the case of this boy. But no one else had given any indication that they knew so Hinata was relatively safe. Shikamaru looked like the type of person to keep a few secrets.

"I know, you're thinking that I'm gonna tell. I won't… It's too troublesome. I didn't really want to get into you're life, but it was a question that plagued me so I had to figure it out."

Hinata sighed in relief, and then groaned in pain. It was definitely the last time she was going to pour most of her chakra into the Mystical Palm Jutsu. "T-thank you…"

"Don't mention it. See you around, Hinata-chan." And with that, the genius child disappeared off into the trees.

Hinata felt she could fall asleep then and there, she was so relived. But she had to get back… And sneak around her roommate once more.

xXx

Naruto's birthday, Christmas and Hinata's birthday passed relatively peacefully. Hinata and Naruto had celebrated his birthday, and he had received some new clothes and some very basic text books that he would need for Shinobi School, since they were starting in spring.

Christmas was pretty much the same as last year; Hinata and her flatmate were invited to the Akimichi Christmas feast, and they ate too much again. There was one major difference, this time Sakura was invited, and somehow she managed to get the spotlight on her all the time. She was the centre of attention at that party.

As for Hinata's birthday, the 'gang' knew she didn't like celebrating it so she only got cards, apart from Shikamaru, who got her some more books in secret, which she was grateful for as she needed new material.

Winter had been a lonely time for Hinata, since she didn't really go out with her friends anymore; she had relied on the Mongeese for company. But they were in hibernation again, so she was left to train in her own. Although, she found a new, fun way to train. She would go out into the winter snow and join a snowball fight. For some reason, the kid's would aim for her more than they aimed at each other, so Hinata practised dodging and stretching, although it was subtle.

Looking up at the night sky as fireworks exploded, the blue head thought deeply about next year, or more accurately, in spring. They were starting Ninja Academy. Kami knows how she was going to fit in there; she had already read most of the material Academy Students needed to learn.

She would do it though, and anyway, wasn't school the best place to learn things? It could help her get stronger.

She hoped.

Omake

Hinata wandered through the forest, randomly going to one of the ninja training grounds. She had given the Mongeese a day off from her company and she didn't really want to go out and play. So the Hiuga decided exploring was better.

Crawling through the damp bushes (for it was autumn and it had rained recently) Hinata picked up a noise. It was a voice… and they were counting.

"785… 786… 787…" the voice grunted, and between each number was a thud of flesh hitting an object. Hinata was surprised, the voice sounded like a child's… And children couldn't possibly go on for that long training. There again, she had so why couldn't this person?

Quickly as not to arouse suspicion, Hinata Transformed into the healer version of herself, a average looking woman whose face you could forget pretty easily. She stepped out of the bushes and gasped to the sight that greeted her.

A boy with larger than larger eyebrows and long, shining black hair pulled back into a ponytail was slowly pounding his way into a thick tree stump. There was a sweat puddle around him, and Hinata swore there was blood on his fists. Hinata could see he had no water near him… He would dehydrate very soon. She couldn't let that happen.

The boy was so concentrated on his training, that he didn't notice the figure approaching him.

"E-excuse me…" Hinata coughed quietly. Although her speaking wasn't perfect, this body did give her confidence to speak to new people.

The boy froze in mid punch and dropped his arms slowly. He turned around to face Hinata.

"P-please, let me see you're hands." Hinata asked, getting onto her knees so she had eye contact with the boy. He had obsidian eyes, but… they looked teary, like he had been crying.

The small, sweaty boy obeyed and Hinata grasped his wrist gently. Although she still couldn't perform Mystical Palm in this body, she did have healing herbs.

Hinata worked very slowly, like she would if healing a wild animal. This boy didn't look afraid, but Hinata knew how quickly people went away from her, so naturally she was being cautious to make no wrong moves.

When his bloodied and scratched hands were cleaned and healed, Hinata wrapped them up in fresh bandages. There had been no conversation between the two yet, and the boy hadn't even flinched when she applied the ointment onto his wounds.

When she had done, she offered out her water flask to him.

He took it slowly. "Thank you stranger-san, but why… did you help me?" he asked before taking a long drink out of the flask. When he had finished drinking (it was very soon since he took the water greedily) he gave the empty flask back. Now Hinata would answer.

"Well… You were hurting yourself. I-I wanted to help…"

"It didn't hurt that bad, stranger-san. I've had worse." The boy wiped his forehead.

"Worse?" Hinata frowned, that boy had been so close to dehydration it was unreal that he could keep moving, and his knuckles had been so badly scratched that she could see bone.

"Yeah… Well, not training wise. In here." He pointed to his chest. "I'm training to be a ninja, but I have no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. Only… Taijutsu. But I am not very good… I train so hard… every day but… I never get better stranger-san. I want to be a strong ninja… But if I have no talent, then what good am I?" tears began to run down the boy's cheek. Hinata felt bad, at least her efforts had payed off. This boy was unlucky in the fact that he had to train twice as hard to get half as much.

"Believe in yourself… I can… see what you are on about… But if you don't believe that you can get better stronger, faster, then you never will. If people are… saying that you will never be useful… that you are weak… They are right, if you believe them." Hinata was using her own experiences to help this boy. Their situations were similar, it was uncanny. But that didn't matter; if her words helped this boy… then she didn't mind opening a few wounds herself.

Hinata could see the boy was pondering over her words, so while he was quiet, she said one more thing to help him on his way. "You may not be a natural, but you work hard… Harder than anyone I've ever seen. A genius of hard work, you could say. And that in itself will take you far."

"Really? Can I… Become a great ninja by just trying?" the boy asked, hope shining in his black eyes.

Hinata smiled. "I tried… very hard myself. And I think its paying off. I am nowhere near to perfecting my herbal skills… But I worked hard and I am quite known in this village. You can do the s-same…"

Hinata sensed someone else nearby. "Someone else… wants to talk I think. Good l-luck… I hope you do well. I might… see y-you again."

Hinata practically removed her Gravity Seal and jumped as hard as she could, using her chakra to power her legs. It startled her how far she jumped; she was well above the trees. She landed a little ungracefully, but smiled for two reasons.

One, she could jump really high. Two… that boy was definitely going to be a great ninja one day… She hoped she could see it happen.

xXx

Hello! Chapter finished at last :) I suppose… This is the end of the Toddler Arc, now onto school. It's gonna be hard to write all the years… I might skip a few depending on how much inspiration I can muster up. Next one will be in a while, promise. Ingat! xx


	10. Chapter 9

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Hiya, my beautiful people! X This is the School Arc, it will last until Hinata get's into her team with a Jonin instructor and starts real missions. As you probably know by now, I write when I have an idea, so I don't know exactly how many chapters there will be.

**Naruto9001believeit**: It's not just her friend's fault that she is being ignored. Hinata is actually staying away because of Naruto's infatuation with Sakura, and Ino's friendship with Sakura. It hurts her to see them together so she stays away. Her friends aren't helping, they are giving her space which comes off as ignoring. Enjoy the rest of the fic, I haven't decided yet x

**Scholarly Vagrant**: Literally lol'd at you're review xx I think Hinata is a bit more than a stuttering mess in the canon too, people just over exaggerate in the fanfic's x

**Hinatafan711**: Thanks :) Wow… I nearly made you cry? Sorry like xx Sasuke doesn't have long black hair pulled into a ponytail, nor does he have large eyebrows. I was talking about Rock Lee not Sasuke lol xx

**Neko-Renku**: Yeah, it was. Lee will be in this story deffo. There are some things I have in mind, but yes, I won't write about every single day at school. Oh… You'll have to read it when I write it! x

**Avasaya**: Thanks. I'm a big fan of Rock Lee; it's too bad he doesn't really have a pairing. Sakura is all wrong for him and although I love yaoi (GaaLee) I don't think I could write it right. x

**Darkened Shadows**: Wow… Really? Thanks. Xx And no, I don't think so. He's wrapped up in his 'love' for Sakura and he is pretty oblivious anyway to Hinata and her affections in the canon and I am trying to keep it IC. x

**Failure-chan**: Well, do you know anyone else as smart as Shikamaru at their age? I don't really, plus it supposed to be a secret and surprise everyone :) As for new people, school starts today x enjoy. Btw, you're story is amazing hoped you like my review x

**Mi3staR**: Lol, rewrite review. Silly!

Agreed, Shikamaru is amazing.

Thanks for the compliment, don't put yourself down I heard Asian people are super smart :).

About Hinata's past, well really I won't be writing about what has happened to Hinata because it's mostly just abusive training from her father and her family ignoring her. But, if I get inspiration that links into the plot about her past, I will write it!

Hinata is not going to be super powerful really until perhaps Shippuden. Also, Hinata has focused on herbs and medical Ninjutsu because a) herbal work is easy if you have a book, you don't really need a tutor and b) Learning Medic Jutsu holds a special place in Hinata's heart because if she gets hurt she can be independent, plus Medical Jutsu requires chakra control not really chakra reserves which is good because a six year old isn't supposed to have massive amounts of chakra that they can channel (unless they have a Bijuu, but at 6 you shouldn't be able to control that amount of power).

The reason Hinata hasn't focused much on Ninjutsu or Genjutsu is because although she has books about them, putting book work into real practise is hard if you don't have a tutor. Plus, her chakra coils aren't properly developed and if she knew a load of Jutsu straight away then she would be too strong. As for Taijutsu, it takes years to build up muscle, endurance and such which is why she is improving her body first and then going on to learn proper Taijutsu, with the help of school and the Mongeese.

Hmm idea's for Lee and Tenten… But the ol' Neji could be a problem. I'll try and make it alright for you.

Yupp, princess-duck butt (Sasuke) and his fangirls will be in this story, but not really bashing…

Yeah, I know what you mean with the all powerful people. It's boring and overused.

Thank you very much for reviewing, I write long replies lmao :) x

**ShyWolf**: Yeah, it is a bit sad… But hey, it's a drama. It will get better. I don't like stories with overpowered people either, so I will try and make this believable. x

**Mori3**: Thanks… Inspiration flash! And thank you, I appreciate you reading it. x

Enjoy everyone xx

xXx

Chapter 9

A cool breeze carried the scent of flowers into Hinata's room through the small open window. Hinata breathed in the delicate scent deeply before stretching lazily in her bed, quite interested in the way her muscles ripped. It was… weird, to have such a toned body when you were considered to be a weak person.

Butterflies attacked Hinata's stomach. Today… Was a special day.

It was her first day of school.

The tired bluenette* had mixed feelings about today. Of course, she was excited about receiving new knowledge that would help her in her quest to get stronger… But… this day would hold a painful memory for her too. Her family wasn't here to take her to school and wish her a nice day. And that would be in her mind forever, nothing could change the fact that her family didn't care.

Another thing Hinata was nervous about was fitting in. She couldn't act… too suspiciously. She had probably read all the beginner material and it would be a pain to go over it again. But this time of course, the teachers would hopefully give demonstrations out so she could learn it properly. The only Jutsu she knew were the Mystical Palm and the Transformation Technique. It had been a miracle she even managed to learn them without guidance. She had attempted to learn other Jutsu, but without a real teacher it was pretty much impossible. Yes, she had the Mongeese, but they were better at physical control and building chakra that using chakra. She had had to learn that herself.

She got out of bed, smiling a little as the cool air hit her skin. She loved being cool in the morning, it reminded her of outside. She liked warmth too, but her love for the outdoors was greater than her love for civilisation.

Suddenly, a figure burst into her room, startling the blue head out of her morning daze.

"HINA-CHAN! FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL BELIEVE IT! WAKE U-" he stopped in his tracks when he saw a rather shocked Hinata stood there in only a thin nightie. Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his head and averted his eyes.

"I-I am aw-awake. I w-will be with y-you in a sec-second Naruto-k-kun." Hinata yawned, keeping her hand over her mouth to be polite.

"Kay Hina-chan." He mumbled something about 'future Hokage's' before getting out of her room, much to Hinata's relief. Yes, she cared about Naruto, but she didn't like being around him too much. There was only one reason; he went on about Sakura too much and it killed a little part of her inside her every time he did. She could cope with his shouting, his spontaneous hugs, his dreams of Hokage, his ramen addiction, his messiness and his hyperactive tendencies, but when it came to Sakura, she couldn't do it. She had to get away.

Slowly, she got dressed into her chosen uniform. It consisted of grey baggy pants, purple ninja sandals, bandages over one ankle (in case she sprained it, which she had done before), a big baggy coat and a light purple long sleeved top (just in case she had to take off her coat, it was quite warm today). She fixed her short hair in the mirror and then went out of her room straight to the kitchen. Naruto was wolfing down a pot of instant ramen, and Hinata placed a banana in front of him.

"Hina-chaaaan… I hate fruit…" Naruto whined, looking in disgust at the bright yellow banana in front of him.

Hinata sighed, it was always like this. Naruto despised fruit, but she couldn't have him eating ramen all the time. It wasn't good for him.

"E-eat it… and you w-will be a t-tall Hokage." Hinata always had to say something about becoming Hokage to get him to eat his fruit and veg; it seemed to be the only thing that could get him motivated.

"Alright! Hokage!" Naruto immediately scooped up the banana and peeled it with great gusto, before devouring it in a few bites. He made a face as he was chewing, but swallowed and opened his mouth. Hinata rolled her eyes good naturedly at the blonde. It would always be a battle to get him to eat the right stuff. The ramen just had him hooked.

Hinata brewed herself a cup of Body Booster tea (as always) and made herself a bowl of cereal and took a piece of fruit. She hoped by eating more than usual that it would squash the butterflies, but it didn't. It just made her feel a bit bloated.

After breakfast, Hinata made up her bag. She took a pot of Healing Ointment, some _Beginner Ninja_ books, the kunai and shuriken she had been gifted with over the years, pen and pencil and the _Advanced Herbs and Elixirs: Wow, it's not poison! _bookas she had started reading it carefully over the winter. She would probably read it at lunch or break time, but never in class. She had to listen. And anyway, studying a book of that level (even if it wasn't a ninja book) was sure to arouse suspicion. She took 300 ryo with her too so she could buy some lunch if she had to.

When she was all done, she took note of Naruto's outfit. He had still been in his PJ's at breakfast.

He had gone for a simple look, bright orange t-shirt and a pair of 3 quarter combat pants, with some blue ninja sandals. Around his waist was a ninja kit bag he had been given on his latest birthday.

Naruto was hopping from one foot to another by the doorway, obviously impatient to get going. Despite being a knucklehead, he seemed very eager to learn. That was a good sign.

"Hina-chan, can we go yet? I wanna see everyone." A starry look came into Naruto's eyes. A not so good sign. _N-No! Please… don't t-talk about h-her…!_

"Y-yes Naruto-k-kun, we are g-going now. You c-can train to b-become H-Hokage." She added, trying to get his mind off Sakura.

"HOKAGE!" he whooped before flinging the front door open. "SCHOOL, GET READY 'CUZ HERE COMES THE NEXT HOKAGE!" although his shouting made her flinch, it was 15 times better than listening to a rant about a certain pink headed girl.

Unfortunately, when his 'inspirational' speech of becoming Hokage ended, he began gushing over Sakura as they walked to school. For once, Hinata wished that Naruto would _shut up_, and that was saying something as she was usually a shy girl.

She made it even worse by mentioning Hokage again; the hyperactive blonde launched into a rant about Sakura becoming the Hokage's wife. Halfway through that speech, Hinata screamed in her own mind and seriously considered running away. But… he couldn't know… _T-there is n-nothing wrong… _she chanted to herself, blocking out the loud voice of her flatmate.

It was a relief to get to school as that meant she could break away from him. But looking at the school, she decided it would be best to stick with someone… Even if that someone was a lovesick boy.

Children and parents alike seemed to move like lightning across the expansive, tarmac playground, making Hinata dizzy. She had dealt with big crowds before when she was out shopping, but she had never liked it. Hinata prayed that once everyone was settled, the crowds would thin.

Naruto grabbed her hand all of a sudden, and pulled her in the direction of one of the buildings. The entrance had the sign 'Reception' on it, so Hinata assumed (along with Naruto) that that was where she was supposed to go.

Inside the reception was cool and clean. The walls were painted a fresh, pale green and the floor was made up of smooth, wooden plants. Tall, leafy plants were placed in the room too, giving the place a natural, friendly sort of look. There was a woman sitting at her desk, observing Hinata and Naruto carefully with cold grey eyes.

The woman was frowning at Naruto, but Naruto took no notice. Hinata clenched her teeth, it wasn't fair that Naruto got these sorts of looks… but there was nothing she could so. Technically, the woman hadn't done anything wrong as ignorance isn't a crime.

Hinata took the first step forward, and the woman's gaze turned onto her. She had a soft look in her eyes now, the cloudy orbs held no dislike.

"Ma'am… P-please w-would y-you t-tell us where to go?" Hinata asked softly whilst checking out this woman's aura. It was no where near as bad as the Hokage's receptionist had been, but there were traces of… strong coldness in her personality.

"Name." she stated in monotone. Hinata noticed she now was completely ignoring Naruto, and hadn't asked for both their names, only one.

"Hiuga Hinata… and this is Uzumaki Naruto" she got a chilling glare from the woman, but Hinata rose to the challenge. She didn't flinch, because she had to be strong for Naruto. She couldn't let this treatment continue, she had to do anything she could to help him.

"I am perfectly aware of what _its _name is _dear_" the woman didn't say the word 'dear' in a very nice way at all. Her words sounded like a threat. "I don't need brats to tell me something I already know."

Hinata had already had enough. She didn't care that she had been called a brat; it was the way she looked down on her roommate that bothered her. Hinata had an idea…

She forced all her pent up anger into the atmosphere around her. Scar had taught her that Killing Intent could be as much as a weapon as a Jutsu if one could harness it properly. She focused on Scars aura, how it twisted and pulsed with menace when he fought. Still radiating out her feral fury, Hinata took a look at the woman now.

She was shaking like a leaf, and her hands were clenched onto the desk tightly, so tight her knuckles turned white. Her face was a sickly green and there was sweat on her brow and on her upper lip. Her grey eyes were wide in fear. Altogether, she looked like she had seen Death itself.

Hinata felt sick herself when she looked at that woman. She hated being scary… _a-am I really that terrible? N-no… she d-deserves i-it for being mean to Naruto-kun!_

Her head was pounding a little and her muscles were screaming at her for relief, as she was tensing them hard in her anger. Hinata calmed herself down and the chilly atmosphere warmed up again.

"Ro-room 21-214… Um-Umino I-Iruka." The woman stuttered out, fear still etched onto her features.

Hinata bowed to the woman. "Th-thank you." Her innocent… not exactly façade as she was truly a gentle person, disposition came back naturally along with her stutter. She really _had_ to get rid of that. She would request the Mongeese to help her later on.

Hinata turned round to look at Naruto. He fared better than the receptionist, but he too was looking fearful. Hinata was nearly sick in her own mouth; she had just scared the person she was scary for. It wasn't a nice feeling at all.

But Hinata decided not to dwell on that unpleasant fact, she had lessons to go to. Well, she and Naruto had a lesson to go to.

In her need to get to the classroom, Hinata was the first to move. She grabbed Naruto's slightly sweaty hand and urged him along to the class the woman had told her.

They navigated the halls the school (Hinata regretted not picking up a map of the place back at the reception) in silence. Hinata noted with relief how the colour of Naruto's face was returning gradually and his body was relaxing a little more.

Hinata's mouth curved up in a small, genuine smile despite her nerves and what had happened already today. The butterflies that she had forgotten she had in the reception returned with new fury. She felt sick and excited and happy and scared all at the same time, and by the look on Naruto's face, he was feeling the same.

Cautiously, as if it would break, Hinata knocked on the door and entered. A class full of children greeted her, with a tanned man at the front. She guessed it was their teacher, Iruka.

Iruka had brown hair that was kept up in a ponytail, dark eyes and a scar across the bridge of his nose which sprang questions in Hinata's mind. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit complete with Leaf headband, sandals and flak jacket. His expression was kind, but Hinata sensed the tension surrounding him. It intensified as he looked at Naruto. _N-no… not my t-teacher too…!_

"Alright… Hinata…" he looked down at the register closely. _My n-name! It w-wont be spelt r-right! _"Hiuga?" the teacher mumbled something about 'spelling'. Hinata relaxed. "Okay Hinata-chan, please go and sit at an empty desk.

Hinata surveyed the class. She recognized the 'gang', Choji and Shikamaru were sat next to each other, Kiba and had an empty space next to him but on his other side were Ino and Sakura. She placed her hands behind her back so no one could see her clenching them. It hurt to see the two chatting so animatedly to each other… Ino hadn't spared her a glance. _A-accept it… s-she had m-moved on._

Looking at the rest of the class, she noticed them all frowning at her a little. The only one that had no emotion was the kid right at the back, one seat away from the corner. He had blue blocker glasses on and a big thick coat that covered the lower part of his face. She felt his general aura, it was stoic and cool.

She walked through the class, not meeting anyone's eyes. When she sat in the corner, the mysterious boy said nothing. He turned and inspected her, but since his eyes were covered up, she couldn't read his emotions. As for _feeling_ them… this boy practically had none.

Hinata's curiosity got the better of her, and she inspected his aura closely. She bit her lip in an attempt to not gasp… this boy had more than one aura. He had _millions! _They were all small and simple, but they were there. _W-what is he?_

Whilst she was busy finding out about the boy she sat next to, Naruto had been placed next to Kiba. When Hinata had gotten over her shock, she observed how Naruto's head turned towards Sakura more than once in 10 seconds.

"Alright, quiet down please!" the man she assumed to be Iruka shouted out, and all chatter ceased immediately. "My name is Iruka Umino, and I will be you're teacher until you graduate. It is my job to turn you all into fine shinobi, and looking at _most _of you, I'm sure that will happen." Iruka's dark eyes surveyed the class for a second. "Alright, let me do the register, and then we will get on. Please, raise you're hand and say here when I call you're name. I will try and say it right." A few giggles ran throughout the classroom.

When it was Hinata's turn, she raised her hand and stuttered 'here'. In return, the children snickered and began whispering, occasionally turning round to smirk at her.

Nerves began attacking Hinata… she felt like the class didn't like her much already. She poked her fingers together absentmindedly, remembering it was her sign of nervousness.

Iruka seemed to finish the register, when suddenly, another boy walked in.

He had pale skin, black eyes and black hair styled in what Hinata could only call… a ducks backside. She would have laughed, but she noticed how all the girls of the class (save her) started giggling like Mongeese in mating season. _O-oh dear… t-this boy is g-gonna have p-problems…_

"Sorry I was late, my mum wouldn't let me go until I had everything!" the boy apologized politely.

"Uchiha isn't it?" the boy nodded. "Alright, I'll mark you down as on time, but if it happens again you will have a late mark. I'm Iruka, you're sensei. Please go and sit down and we will begin."

Sasuke eyed the class, and frowned as a girl fainted on her desk. Hinata was tempted to go home and get a herb that would wake her up… but she was one of the girls who had giggled about her stutter. _I-I think h-her taking a break w-would be a g-good idea…_

"Sir?" the person sitting next to the unconscious girl called.

"She'll be fine… Uchiha Sasuke… sit." Iruka covered his mouth with the register, and Hinata swore she saw him laughing.

When the boy was seated (he was on the end row away from everybody, but funnily enough, sat where everyone could see him) Iruka took out a text book she was very familiar with.

"Alright class, this term we will be learning about what chakra is. The _Beginner Ninja: What is chakra? _book will help us study. We will be doing exercises too, but not now." Hinata groaned inwardly, a whole _term _on one book that she had read cover to cover. Three times. It only had really small exercises in it too, which she had already done to perfection. However, she wasn't entirely above going over it again… it would just be tedious.

"Before I hand these out, does anyone know anything about chakra?" Iruka asked.

Sakura and Ino put their hands up.

Iruka checked his board. "Sakura-chan."

"Chakra is what keeps you living. Ninja use it to perform Jutsu." She stated, clearly looking pleased with herself. Hinata caught Ino glaring at her 'best friend'. Hinata could feel competition raging between the two.

"Spiritual energy and p… err… physical energy make it up!" Ino shouted out, looking smug. Sakura was now the one glaring.

"There are different types of chakra!" Sakura said, looking straight at Ino.

"Fire!" Ino called out.

"Water!" Sakura shouted.

"Earth!"

"Lightning!"

"Wind!"

"Erm…" Sakura scratched her head. "I don't think I know anything else."

"I win!" Ino chuckled gleefully.

While the rest of the class was in shock, Hinata could only think of one thing. _They forgot Yin and Yang c-chakra. And chakra t-types c-can be combined t-to make new ones…_

"Alright… You two know quite a bit… You can skim over the bits you know and start the exercises early." As soon as Iruka was finished speaking, the class was in uproar.

"What! That's not fair! They are ahead!"

"Favoritism!" _How d-does a 6 year o-old know t-that word? _Hinata wondered to herself over the noise.

"What about us, we know too!"

"YEAH, THEY AREN'T BETTER THAN ME!" she recognized Naruto's voice. Hinata gently face palmed at his arrogance. She hoped he didn't mean what he said, no one was better than anyone here.

Iruka held up a hand. "Fine then, since you all think it's unfair, _no one_ will go ahead."

There were groans, but it all quieted down when Iruka handed out the books. Hinata was fighting with herself as to whether or not she should say something. Iruka was at her desk, it was time to act.

"Iruka-sensei… I-I have al-already read t-this book…" Hinata whispered.

Iruka was surprised for a second, but quickly regained his composure. "Ah… Yes… Hiuga. They will have taught you some chakra exercises and what chakra is too." Iruka scratched his chin thoughtfully. _H-he t-thinks I am in t-the Hyuga clan… _"What do you know?"

"W-well…" she was determined not to stutter in front of this teacher. "I know what chakra is, what it's made up of, it's types, what it's used for, the signs of chakra exhaustion, what chakra coils are… Oh and I know about the chakra system too." Hinata congratulated herself; she managed to talk normally without feeling pressured or angry.

"And the exercises?"

Hinata debated with herself. _I-I shouldn't be a-able to anything… _Hinata shook her head.

"Alright, turn to page 27 and I will get you some leaves." Iruka handed out the rest of the text books before going to his desk.

_I-I do this a l-lot… B-but I c-cant show t-that… What a-about my feet? I… could try and stick them there… it's a harder place to send chakra to._

Iruka returned and produced leaves from his pockets. "Alright Hinata-chan, have you unlocked you're chakra yet?" Iruka asked.

Hinata nodded and her sensei continued. "Okay, what you do is you simply find you're chakra and send it to your hand. Then, the leaf will stick to it. Sounds simple, but its actually quite hard. I don't expect you to master it this lesson. Call me if you need anything. Oh… and don't say anything to anyone." Iruka winked and Hinata grabbed the leaves quickly as he moved away. Hinata realized her new sensei had placed himself in a position where no one could see what he was doing, not even the boy next to her as she was in the corner.

She opened the textbook that she had already read before and pretended to read, whilst simultaneously attaching leaves to her legs. She wanted to take her shoes off so she could attach the leaves to her feet, but she knew the boy next to her (his name was Shino Aburame according to the register) would notice.

Keeping a steady flow of chakra to her legs, she pulled her baggy pants over the leaves that were stuck to her skin so no one would notice. Then, she pretended to try and make one of the leaves stick to her hands.

Throughout the lesson she and Shino were silent, and everyone else was quietly absorbed in the book. For Hinata, her first lesson was a bit of a letdown. She was going over things she had done before and the class seemed to hate her. Hopefully, it would get better in time.

xXx

Sweat trickled down Hinata's brow and her legs were burning with pain. All throughout the 2 hour lesson, Hinata had kept up the leaf exercise on her legs. Iruka had come over a couple of times and urged her to wipe her face and keep going, which Hinata obeyed.

It was a relief to the bluenette when the bell rang for break. All at once, the children yawned and closed their books. Even Naruto had been deeply studying his book… Hinata suspected it was because he had done studying before… when he had been angry at her.

A cross between a yawn and a groan escaped from Hinata's lips whilst she pretended to stretch downwards. She cut off the concentrated chakra supply to her legs and grabbed all the leaves that fell onto her sandals. Shakily, she stood and went to an awaiting Iruka. She noticed that she had taken quite a while to gather all the leaves, everyone had already left.

So Hinata-chan, how did you do?" Iruka questioned, observing how tired his student was.

"Not very w-well sir…" she held up a leaf and kept it on her palm. Using a little bit of the chakra she had left, she stuck it to her palm and removed her hand. She held it for a second, and then allowed the leaf to fall to the ground.

"On the contrary, that's amazing progress!" Hinata's mind was immediately sent into panic. She was giving herself away wasn't she? "Well done Hinata-chan." Hinata blushed in pleasure… she wasn't used to a lot of praise. Sure, the Mongeese had acknowledged her effort, but it was different coming from a human.

"Alright, I can see you're exhausted. You can go home…"

"No!" Hinata interrupted her sensei, quite violently for her. She blushed in embarrassment. "S-sorry… I don't w-want to g-go…"

"I admire your determination. Next lesson is Taijutsu… you might wanna take off that coat." Hinata poked her fingers together and looked down. Sure, she had a long sleeved top on, but… someone observant might notice the way she moved was a little… different.

"O-okay."

"Dismissed. Again, good work." Iruka smiled at her, and she felt the blood go to her cheeks. Although he had an awkwardness about him when it came to Naruto, she truly believed her teacher was a good person.

Hinata bowed politely, but then the bell rang again. Iruka chuckled.

"Sorry, it looks like you won't get a break today. You sure you wanna stay?"

Hinata nodded once again, and slowly trudged back to her desk. Her legs didn't pound with pain, but they felt as heavy as lead. She was so tempted to lighten her Seal, but if she was doing Taijutsu… the heaviness would help keep her slow and therefore she would look weak.

The class filed in slowly, only to be told what lesson they were to have next. The boys whooped excitedly and the girls groaned as they lined up at the door.

Hinata walked to the gym at the back alone, and noticed how everyone that was supposed to be her 'friends' was paired up already. Shikamaru and Choji were together, with Shikamaru defending Choji from someone who had called the Akimichi fat, Kiba and Naruto were playfully arguing that they were gonna kick each others butts and… Ino and Sakura were together, heads close to do what seemed to be gossiping. For a split second, Hinata wished she could be a part of that.

Inside the gym, Iruka told everyone to get in a single line so he could see them all. The excited students obeyed and Iruka began explaining what Taijutsu was and how they were going to train.

Basically, today was about battle stance.

Hinata thanked the Kami's; it was the subject she had most wanted to work on. And what Iruka said next made her day even better.

"Alright, there are many different styles of Taijutsu. Please, get into a stance that makes you feel comfortable, yet you are ready for attack. I will then choose a style for you."

The girls, or now trainee kunoichi, went into stances like they were gonna slap someone, where as the boys went into stances where they were going to have a serious scrap fight. Sasuke, Kiba, Choji and Shino were the only ones who had something resembling a proper stance. Naruto didn't have a clue what he was doing and as for Shikamaru… he looked like he wanted to curl up and have a nice nap.

As for Hinata, she went into her own stance. It was one she had been working on for a while. It was a loose sort of stance, one that could easily confuse someone as it looked solid yet… like she could move in any way at any second. It looked like aqua itself in a fighting stance. Almost. She hadnt quite perfected it yet as she made it up by herself. Hopefully, Iruka would help her refine it a little. Plus, she was holding back a little. She was purposely making a lot of mistakes, so Iruka would get the ideas that this was her first time.

Hinata held steady, noticing how some people were trying to copy her, and failing miserably. Hinata knew why. They didn't have a perfect centre of gravity like she did. This stance required balance and flexibility above what an untrained 6 year old had.

It was good that Hinata had trained herself for this, because if she hadn't worked on her endurance, then she would have collapsed by now. It was a hard stance to keep solid if you didn't have the body to do it.

"What a freak! Why is she standing like that! It looks stupid!" one girl with dark purple whispered to her friend nastily.

"It doesn't look bad actually…" her friend disagreed, but she saw the look on the purplenettes face. "Kidding, she looks like she has a problem." The girls giggled, but Hinata just concentrated properly on her body. She knew what her stance looked like… It didn't look like what the girl described it to be. But still… Hinata didn't know why those girls were being so spiteful. She didn't understand at all.

Iruka finally made his appearance and commented on her style.

"That's not the usual Hyuga style… You must have made a few adjustments… more than a few actually." He pointed out her flaws and gradually the position became a little easier to hold and it felt _right_. "There's not a style like the pose you're holding…" a light bulb literally appeared above Iruka's head. Hinata felt it, it was a genjutsu. She smiled, it was so silly! "The Hyuga's are making a new style! Good luck on that, I'll try and help you when I can." Iruka moved off as Hinata's spirits sank a little. Not another style like it… and he thought her 'family' were developing it… If Iruka truly knew anything about the Hyuga, then he would know that they are _very _traditional people. A new style wouldn't never exist in the Hyuga Clan, it was forbidden to learn proper Jutsu (academy Jutsu were allowed) and a new fighting style would literally be treachery.

Hinata sighed and continued to hold her refined pose; it looks like she only had the Mongeese to rely on in Taijutsu. It was a letdown, but at least the school would teach her Jutsu… she prayed that they would teach her Jutsu.

When Iruka was done making adjustments, everyone was in some sort of fighting stance.

"Alright, I want you to run to the end of the hall and back, and then get into you're stance again." Iruka coughed once. "Out in the battlefield, getting ready to fight in a second is vital. This will test you to see if you have remembered you're stance and how quickly you can do it." Iruka raised his hand. "Ready… Set… GO!" he dropped his arm and the children sprinted from one end of the room to the other. Hinata, not wanting to raise suspicion, stayed in the middle of the 'pack'.

When they all got back into their stances, Hinata noticed some people were breathing pretty heavily and their stances were off. As far as she could see, only Ino and Sasuke were standing right.

Once again, Iruka did his rounds and corrected any postures that were wrong.

The rest of the lesson was spent running back and forth, getting into you're stance and then correcting any mistakes. Her classmates seemed to be dying with exhaustion (apart from Kiba and Naruto), especially Choji. _Oh d-dear, he looks l-like he's g-gonna c-collapse!_

Hinata herself wasn't feeling out of breath much, but her legs were still hurting from channeling chakra through them earlier. Once or twice in the lesson, she had taken a little weight off to make the pain more bearable.

By the end of the lesson, everyone was able to get into their stance pretty quickly with only a few mistakes. Iruka called them all to attention, and everyone groaned in relief and collapsed to the floor. Hinata couldn't help but join in, it was worse for her as her Seal weighed her down tremendously.

Iruka grinned at the class. "Alright, Taijutsu is over. After lunch we will be doing Science and Math. You can go home to change out of you're clothes and get something to eat, but you must come back. If you don't, someone will find you…" Hinata noticed that Iruka had his hands in a peculiar position. It was a hand sign! Suddenly, a giant spider appeared in front of Iruka. Hinata put the handsign in her memory; it could be useful to her one day. Everyone screamed, so Hinata joined in. She had conquered her fear of spiders in the forest, and a fake illusion like this didn't scare her at all.

Suddenly, the spider disappeared. "Or something…" Iruka said in a creepy voice. Iruka then laughed, and the heavy atmosphere dissipated. "Alright kids, be back at 1. For those of you who don't know its 12 now okay?"

Iruka got a chorus of 'yes sirs', and then he dismissed everyone.

Hinata felt happy and apprehensive when Naruto came bounding over to her. _P-please… K-Kami-sama… let Naruto-k-kun forget a-about Sakura-san f-for a minute…_

Unfortunately, her wish didn't come true. "Hey Hina-chan! That lesson was awesome; I totally beat Kiba-baka! Oh, Sakura-chan was cool too!" Naruto sighed. "I asked her to have lunch with me, but… she just walked off." Naruto sighed again, but then a brilliant smile crossed his features. Hinata could see it was fake. "So, Hina-chan, you wanna eat?"

Hinata couldn't say no, Naruto was feeling bad and she could possibly cheer him up. "S-sure."

"Can we have Itchiraku? Pleeasee?" Naruto got on his knees and begged. Hinata thought for a moment. She didn't let him have Itchiraku too often… but a treat wouldn't hurt. It was their first day of school after all.

"Okay Naruto-kun…" Hinata agreed shyly. Naruto threw himself at Hinata and got her into a hug. It was what she expected; he did it an awful lot to her.

"You're the best Hina-chan, believe it!" Naruto squealed in her shoulder. Hinata giggled and blushed warmly. Butterflies attacked her stomach again, but she didn't know why. They calmed when he let her out of the embrace.

And so, she and Naruto went home, changed into fresh clothing (Hinata had a spare coat so she could cover herself up) and went to the ramen stand.

Hinata's eyes drifted towards Naruto all the way through eating, but she didn't understand why. Yes… she watched him sometimes… when he was playing… and eating… and she checked on him in his sleep. But that was just because she cared… Wasn't it?

Hinata shook her head as she slurped her third bowl of ramen (she had a high metabolism due to her muscle mass and she could eat a lot), she didn't have time to think about Naruto right now. They had to get back to school.

"Come o-on… Naruto-kun…" Hinata tapped the happy blonde gently. He turned round with a noodle on his face. Hinata couldn't resist. Slowly, Hinata picked up the noodle from the top of Naruto's mouth and giggled as he slurped it from her fingers.

Naruto flashed a smile, and it was real much to Hinata's pride. _I made him ha-happy! _

"Alright, Hina-chan. I'll pay and then we can go kay?" Naruto already got his froggy wallet out before she could protest. "Don't say it Hina-chan, I am paying!" Hinata sighed; he pretty much never let her pay. She would have to cook him a good dinner tonight.

They got back to school quickly, but Hinata's nerves increased when she saw people glaring at her and Naruto. _Wh-what have I d-done?_

Hinata took a breath and sat at her seat in the corner, away from everyone's eyes.

The lesson itself interested Hinata, but Naruto protested heavily all throughout, saying 'this isn't ninja training!'. Iruka then launched into a speech about how ninja had to be smart and strong, you couldn't have a ninja or Hokage that didn't know how to count or know how fire could be made. Naruto shut up a bit and got his head down as soon as Iruka said Hokage.

The lesson ended quickly and Hinata was satisfied with the knowledge she had received. The bell rang for home time, and row by row the children filtered out of class and headed home. Hinata was last out, due to being on the back row.

Naruto hadn't waited for her… but that didn't hurt… much. She wanted to get home as quickly as possible, so she took the back alley route home.

Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one.

Hinata was thinking deeply about why she felt weird around Naruto, and didn't sense the aura's up ahead. Before she knew it, her path was blocked by three rather mean looking kids, one of them she knew. It was that purple headed girl that had laughed at her stance at gym.

"Well… look at this…" the ringleader, a boy of about 9 sneered. "It's that witch with the creepy eyes. You described her well Akane-chan." The boy cracked his knuckles. The sickening sound of moving bones penetrated the air. "C'mon then, fight me. My sister Akane says that you're stance is… strange. I wanna check it out." The boy growled lowly. "She also says that you tried to punch her…"

_Wh-what? I… did nothing! _Hinata's eyes widened in shock and… fear. Although she was confident she could get away… she wasn't allowed to. She had made a promise to herself that she would keep under cover. And this… was a part of her cover.

A tear slipped from Hinata's eyes. This situation… was similar to a training session. Hiashi would mock her and degrade her, before pounding her until she couldn't move. Day in, day out… the same routine.

She was used to pain.

But… she had gotten so used to being… not beaten. She loved the fact that when she got outside the Hyuga compound, no one hurt her physically. She had grown used to a healthy, unbroken body. And these… _children_, were going to take that away.

And she would let them.

Hinata closed her eyes and let the tears slip down. More insults washed over her… They called her weak, useless, wimpy, ugly, witchy… and then, the first push came.

Hinata… could have laughed. Her head cracked back onto the wall, but she didn't really feel it.

People rate pain on how much they have experienced before. Hinata… had fractured almost every bone in her body simultaneously once and then walked around the next day. This was like a warm hug in comparison to what she had felt.

Fists and feet hit her small body over and over again, but to Hinata they felt like mere taps. These children were weak… but they used groups to intimidate and scare. They had obviously never beaten someone up before.

Hinata didn't dare open her eyes. She was afraid of what their faces would look like… beatings could be healed, but memories lasted forever. And she knew these kids would have demonic looks on their round, childlike faces. She didn't want to think of that forever.

The bluenette's mind was focused not on the pain, but on something else. She just wanted to know… why?

Why her? Yes, this didn't hurt much, but why should she hurt at all? What had she done? Had she lived a bad life? Had she not been kind to those around her? Had she not protected her precious people when they needed protection? Had she not helped strangers, friends and animals alike? Was it because she was weak? Was it because of her eyes? Hinata wanted to know… She wanted to _know!_

With one last kick, Hinata heard the bullies running away. She opened her eyes carefully, and found that she couldn't see very well. Wincing slightly, she brought up her hand and touched her eyes. It was swollen.

Mind blank, Hinata's concentrated on healing her wounds. She had ointment, but that would only heal external wounds. She was sure her ribs were broken, as it was starting to burn each time she took a breath. A feeling she knew well already.

By the time she had done, it was getting to sunset. She hoped Naruto wouldn't be too worried about her.

Each footstep she took was slow and slightly painful, the aftermath of beating always hurt, even if you could heal most wounds.

_S-so… t-this is school. _Hinata thought, with only a slight bitter edge. She knew, each time she was beaten, a little more hatred would worm its way into her heart. No one could stay pure forever.

Could they?

xXx

*I stole this word from Failure-chan! Awesome word! xx

More drama… don't worry peeps, Hinata is a good person. She ain't gonna do a Sasuke okay. Hope you enjoyed… Although getting beaten up isn't really that enjoyable.

Ingat! xx


	11. Chapter 10

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Hello readers, reviewer's etc xx I think I have decided against a harem for Hinata. Yes, she's strong and beautiful and kind… but I don't think Hinata is the type to have more than one guy. Knowing Hinata, she would feel it would be unfaithful. Sorry to disappoint anyone that wanted a harem.

**Naruto9001believeit**: Lol, I read this on my Ipod and I was grinning so hard my mum came up to me and asked if I was okay. Great idea, I could possibly fit that in somewhere, I mean Sakura is weak anyway until Shippuden so winning her would be easy for Hinata and it wouldn't arouse too much suspicion. Thanks for reviewing, hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy Reading! x

**ChocoRoseLuv**: Thanks so much! :) Literally made my day! Happy Reading x

**Eirdaru**: I know, I've decided against the NaruHina, because Hinata is more like a sister to him. She's attracted to him right now because he was the first boy to show any affection towards her, but she will get over it. I think I'm going with Gaara, but I'll need ideas on how to write him (hopefully from reviewers). Yeah, I am going to put more character interaction in, I was just trying to establish the kind of life and the sort of training Hinata does before I get anyone else involved properly. I hope I don't disappoint and Happy Reading! x

**Echo Uchiha**: Thanks. Happy Reading x

**Bobo**: Good, it's great that you liked it! Read above for harem choice. Thanks, at first it was hard developing her character because I had to put what she felt etc in every paragraph, but its getting to be a natural thing now :) Next chapter, here you are! Enjoy x

**Failure-chan**: Yeah, I thought so too. I'm glad my chapter didn't miss anything out for you. Lol, Bug-man will be in this story too. And UPDATE your story please! Happy Reading x

**Neko-Renku**: Okay, Iruka would expect Hinata to be tired as he thinks it's her first time channelling chakra (and they did it for 2 hours). If she wasn't tired, that would raise suspicion I think. As for fighting style, the Hyuga's are quite secretive in their methods, even in their own family. So if Hiashi were to change something, the rest of Konoha wouldn't know outside the Main Branch.

Shino… gonna have to read. Naruto… honestly, he's got enough power when he grows up. I don't think he really needs Hinata's help. Thanks for reading x

**Fay**: Alright, I'll be honest. Originally I was going to have a small harem with Gaara, Naruto and _maybe _Lee (he's not really paired with anyone else), but making Hinata live with Naruto gave it a sibling vibe, and Hinata isn't the type to have two or more boyfriends (in my opinion). Shika's taken XD you might wanna read **Dreamer01's answer** I gave them too if you have any more questions. Or y'know, just review me again and ask (hint) lol x Thanks for reviewing, hope you like how this turns out :) x

**Mori3**: Nothing wrong on expressing your opinion :) Some things will be explained in this chapter (e.g Shika and Choji). As for Hinata and her healing, she is so adept at it that she healed herself completely and was physically fine the next day. It was the back alley; no one else was around... Her friends are dealing with their own problems and it doesn't help that Hinata can be a wallflower at times. As for the rest of the class, they _all_ hate her because of her association with Naruto and the fact that she doesn't fit in. They pick on her also because she looks weak too. Yeah, Sasuke's family die. Hinata was hidden away from parties and such because her father was ashamed of her, so she didn't know any Uchiha's. Oh, and I have a little twist in store. I hope that cleared up some of your questions. Happy Reading! x

**Dreamer01**: Thanks, I hope I finish it too. She will be angry etc at people, but it won't turn her into an angsty hate-filled madwoman bent on revenge. So not Hinata. As for the Naruto love thing, well, I agree on you're opinion. Making this a NaruHina fic is wrong… more like a sibling love. Hinata is just crushing on him, but she will get over it. As for Shika, this ain't gonna be a ShikaHina fic. Shikamaru is Temari's and that's final (for me). I mean, the men in Shika's family go for bossy females. Don't say Ino please, I'm a ChojiIno supporter too. Seriously considering GaaHina because they are both my fave characters and they balance each other out. Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like the rest of my story (when I write it)! X

**TL**: Yeah, I knew someone would say that :) damn people and their observant ways! I can't believe I made you _angry_! All I can say is that it will probably get better in time. x

**Lil Ramen Lover**: Not a ShikaHina fic, but they probably will be good friends when they grow up a little more. I have an idea on how to put Shika and Choji in properly :) All I can say really. x

Enjoy!

xXx

Chapter 10

The breeze drafting in from the girls window woke her as usual, but unlike a month ago, she didn't want to wake up.

Yes, a whole month had passed since Hinata started school. Hinata thought it was pretty cliché, the fact that she hated school. It wasn't the material, even though she had already gone over most of it. Hinata learnt something every day, and she continued to get stronger through outside training.

No, it was because of the _people_. But sometimes, when Hinata was being glared at, she wondered… were they people at all, or demons sent from Hell to punish her for her wrongs (whatever they were)?

Only Akane's brother, Akane and another stranger had ever beaten her up though. They still beat her, once a week. Somehow, they managed to find her every week without fail. Hinata didn't know who the third person was as in every beating she received she kept her eyes shut, but their aura was vaguely familiar. Hinata simply didn't _want_ to know who it was. It was just another face to haunt her nightmares.

As for the beatings themselves… Hinata noticed that her last one was a lot more painful than her first three. The bluenette had pondered over why, going over the memories again and again (which did distress her at times) and it struck her. It was because the third person had joined in her last beating. They were a lot more experienced… they made her actually feel some pain. Hinata just wondered… why did they join in now? What was different?

As for making friends… that was impossible. She didn't belong to a group at all. Ino and Sakura stuck together along with Kiba and Naruto. Although they were glared at sometimes (it was mainly Naruto who attracted the glares), since they were together, they could deal with it. No one would dare pick on a group. Shikamaru and Choji were a little duo that always stuck together. They had broken off from the group too in a way, Hinata hardly ever saw them all together since she left and Sakura joined. But… Choji and Shikamaru had their own problems. When Shikamaru wasn't being told off for sleeping, he was defending Choji from bullies who called him fat. Hinata feared that if she joined them, they would leave her truly like the rest of the gang had and she would involve them in her bullying. She didn't wish her misery upon anyone else. She would just make Choji's bullying worse if she hung around with him.

So… there was no one else to rely on. She couldn't bring Mongeese to school as it would attract attention. She had no other friends since they all seemed to hate her. Well, apart from Shino, but he didn't feel anything according to what Hinata sensed. Oh, and Sasuke, who seemed to be a bit of a loner himself. He was adored by the female population and quite a genius in class, so no one dared pick on him. He was polite, but distant to everyone. Hinata bet on her life Sasuke would never associate with some as 'weak' as her anyway.

Hinata's sensitive ears picked up the sound of the front door slamming. Naruto had left.

He left early every day so he could and meet Kiba, Ino and Sakura so they could all walk to school together. Naruto had offered for Hinata to come with them, but… Hinata declined. She wouldn't fit in… and Naruto would be around Sakura. Ino would be around Sakura. Everyone would be around Sakura, and she would be on the sidelines. Hinata would rather choose to be alone than be forced to be alone.

Groaning, Hinata stretched languidly and got dressed in her usual, baggy outfit. She had trained very hard last night to distract herself. She had gone into the Forest of Death (accompanied by the Mongeese of course) and ran with her Seals heavier than usual until she couldn't run anymore. Exhaustion seemed to help her forget who she was, even if it were for only for about 10 minutes. The good thing was, once her exhaustion had cleared up and she started focusing on her life again, she could always run more to make her forget again. It was her form of therapy. Or denial. Whatever you called it, it worked and it gave her motivation, although it wasn't the right sort of motivation.

The Mongeese didn't know exactly what Hinata was going through, but they knew something was wrong. Sometimes Hen (the motherly Mongoose) would come over randomly and comfort her for no apparent reason. Hinata would hold onto the furry comfort like her life depended on it, but it was rare that she ever shed a tear. She was used to being strong, so even when she could show her weaknesses, she tended not to. If she made a habit of breaking down, then she wouldn't be able to build herself back up again.

Looking in the mirror, Hinata wasn't too distressed by what she saw. She started drinking the Body Booster Tea at nighttimes and she had added lavender and chamomile to help her sleep easier, so she didn't have bags underneath her eyes. Her skin was smooth and clear from regular, vigorous exercise and a good diet, her body was muscled yet petite. She looked perfectly healthy, but her eyes… they held sorrow and despair. Hinata had no idea what to do. She didn't know where to turn anymore. All she could do was plod on and take whatever was thrown at her, but that method… it was slowly killing her spirit.

Hinata sighed and left the bathroom. She concentrated entirely on preparing a good breakfast instead of depressing thoughts of her actual life.

Eating itself had become a chore for Hinata. Yes, her metabolism was high and she exercised, but food just made her queasy. She had to force each mouthful down, no matter how delicious it was. It all tasted like cardboard to her. And when she was done, the food itself felt like lead in her stomach. It was hard keeping food down when all you wanted to do was throw it back up again.

The bluenette checked the time whilst she was packing her bag (she would have packed it last night, but she had been tired). She had a couple of minutes to get to school. She would have to run it if she wanted to get there on time. Quickly, she brushed her teeth before setting off.

Loosening up her Seal (which was now at 55 kilograms) the bluenette ran to school through the back alley. Yes, it was a place she didn't like going, but it would look suspicious if a six year old ran past at speed down the main road. Hinata, being cautious, checked around with her Byakugan first, all was clear.

Approaching the school, Hinata slowed down and put her Seal back to how it was. Hinata was lucky; no one seemed to be around. Well, it was good that no one was glaring at her, but bad because it meant she might be late.

There was a notice stuck on Iruka's classroom.

_Students, Iruka is away today._

_Please go to room 344 for your lessons._

Hinata bit her lip and frowned. She didn't know where room 344 was… and what had happened to Iruka?*

Hinata wandered round the halls, desperately trying to find the room. It was right on the other end of school, and Hinata feared that she had missed much of the lesson already.

Knocking on the door, Hinata heard all chatter inside the room come to a halt. A deep, accented voice called out 'enter!'.

Taking a deep breath, Hinata walked inside the classroom.

She _did not like what she saw._

She saw her class, most of which were sneering and smirking at her. With some happiness, Hinata saw the big browed boy that she had talked to when he was training. He was sitting next to a girl with her hair in panda like buns.

But the class sneering at her wasn't what she feared. It was a pair of pale, icy eyes glaring at her. Those eyes… made her want to die.

They were the eyes of Neji Hyuga.

"Why are you late?" the teacher asked. He was a tall, lanky man with dark skin and a heavy accent.

"W-well… I d-didn't know wh-where to go. T-there was n-no map on t-the door to h-here." Titters rang around the class. Hinata knew why there was no map. They had removed it.

"Ah… well… Sit down. There's a space next to your cousin over there." Whispers filled Hinata's ears… but Hinata didn't care for gossip. All she cared about was the fact that she had to sit next to the one person in the class that was her ex-family. Fate could be so cruel.

Resigning herself to her fate, Hinata walked through the already seated class to the only available seat next to Neji. Hinata could see why no one tried to sit next to him; he gave off a chilling vibe that no one wanted to go near. Including her.

_C-C'mon Hin-Hinata… you h-have f-faced mutant t-t-tigers… what c-could be scarier than t-that? _But to her… Neji was far scarier. She would rather go into a one-on-one death match with that tiger than sit next to her bitter ex-cousin.

But she had to. She made no sound as she slid into her seat (which was a little too big for her). She didn't dare speak, or even look at her ex-cousin.

But she couldn't suppress a gasp when she felt his aura.

_N-n-nooooo… _Hinata put her head in her hands as the familiar spirit hit her like a wall over and over again. _I-it can't be! _

Her own blood family… were still after her. And they got her through another child. Either that… Or Neji did it out of revenge. His father had died… because of her weakness.

The third person… was revealed.

As her cousin.

Neji.

Was beating her, making her life miserable. And there was nothing she could do. Neji had the true Hyuga's on his side, even though they were only his masters.

"Hinata-_hime…_ I suggest you listen to the teacher. He's explaining what we have to do." The smooth, cold voice of her beater informed her. Hinata shuddered and looked up. She would have said thank you, but… Neji didn't deserve her thanks. He also called her hime, so either he was mocking her (which meant he knew about her disownment) or he still believed she was Clan heir. Hinata hoped it was the second, it meant her cousin couldn't rub her name in the dirt more than it already was.

"Alright, you will work with the person next to you and write mission reports for various missions we give out. There will be twists and turns in each one, so in your report you must decide what you would do in that situation, write it down and say why." Hinata suspected that Naruto was going to say something. The teacher raised a hand in Naruto's direction. "I've have heard about you. Hokage's must be able to write _awesome _reports…" the teacher smiled at the blonde.

"C'mon then, let's begin my Hokage training!" Naruto hollered. _Poor N-Naruto-kun… h-he's so g-gullible sometimes… _Hinata thought to herself sadly. But it was a method of motivation that worked, so she couldn't complain.

And then… the words the teacher had said registered in her mind. _Work with the person next to you. _There was no one else to work with, Hinata and Neji were on a two seater desk.

The mission's were handed out by the teacher, as people sitting next to each other chatted quietly. As usual, Ino and Sakura were together, Kiba and Naruto were together and Choji and Shikamaru were together. Shino had somehow ended up working with Sasuke, and the two were already hard at work writing.

As for Akane, she was giggling with her best friend, but something about Akane's friends laugh was off. It sounded… forced. But Hinata couldn't ponder over that, she had her own problem to worry about. The problem sitting right next to her.

Neji had already gotten to work in reading the first mission paper. So, he wanted to do it on his own. _Fine… T-that i-is fine with me… _Hinata took a deep breath and began reading one mission paper. It was about taking someone's dog for a walk, a D-rank mission, and then you saw someone getting mugged. It asked her to write what she would do and why in the form of a mission report.

It sounded simple enough, but it was actually pretty hard. There were pointers for how to write it. You had to write it in first person and you had to include details like where you were, the time, what the mugger looked like etc. There were so many little details to include, Hinata was grateful that they would be teaching her how to write a report because if she wrote one first hand she would have just explained her actions and that would be the end.

Neji had gotten through 3 reports by the time she had finished the first, but strangely, Hinata felt no spark of competition inside her. She was perfectly happy as to what she had written so far, she wouldn't compromise quality to beat her blood cousin. Although she doubted Neji's would lack quality either. He had done this before it seemed.

Although the silence between the two blood relatives was heavy and uncomfortable, Hinata preferred it. If she said something, she would stumble over her words and then perhaps confront Neji to cover her embarrassment. And confrontation was the last thing she wanted.

The lesson dragged on, and although Hinata could feel eyes on her, she was too immersed in her work to care. The bluenette was grateful for the bell, a few minutes away from Neji and his frigid ambience would be heaven. The teacher (named Imai-sensei) dismissed them all.

Hinata quickly packed her pencil and pen back into her bag and got up and out of the class before anyone else. But, she could hear footsteps thudding behind her… closer… closer… she could feel someone's breath on her neck. A tap on her shoulder shocked her heart and she whipped round, expecting the worst.

Her heart slowed when she saw who it was. It was the boy with the large eyebrows and the girl with panda buns. They wouldn't hurt her, would they?

"Hey, so you're Neji's cousin eh? Names Tenten, what's yours?" panda-bun girl asked, giving Hinata a brilliant smile.

Although Hinata wanted to run away at the mention of her cousin, the fact that these people were talking to her nicely made her want to stay. "M-my names Hinata…" Hinata mumbled, fidgeting in her nervousness.

"And my name is Rock Lee, the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha in training!" the bushy browed boy named Lee flashed a excited, gleaming smile (she immediately wanted to know what his toothpaste was) and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up.

"Lee-kun, she doesn't need to hear about you and Gai training… she looks frightened already." Tenten said, giggling at a deflating Lee.

Hinata felt their aura's and tried to assess who they were exactly. Lee's aura… put a colour to it, it would be… yellow. His aura was brilliant, warm and kind, and his will burned like the sun. He was the Will of Fire in human form. He was a good person, and Hinata wanted to be around him just for that. Tenten's aura was a silvery light green, calm and strong, with a playful touch. Her body took in these auras gratefully; she hadn't known how oppressive everyone else's aura had been until these two showed up.

"Hey, would you like to come out with us? We usually train… Well Lee-kun does anyway. I play around… with kunai. Anyway, I wanna see another Hyuga in action!" Tenten gushed. _T-they want to be… w-with me?_

"O-okay…" Hinata wouldn't dare refuse, how could she? Two people with good hearts wanted to be with her. Even if they wanted to know her because they believed she was a Hyuga, it didn't matter. She hadn't had proper human company in such a long time.

"Great. C'mon then… do you mind me calling you chan?" Tenten asked politely.

"Y-you can both c-call me what you want." Hinata smiled shyly, and Tenten squealed softly.

"You're so cute! C'mon then Hinata-chan!" Tenten grabbed her hand (was that a trend with all the friends she made?) and pulled her along to the playground. She heard the pitter-patter of Lee behind her.

At the playground, they didn't stop walking. They headed for a group of trees instead. Hinata would have been nervous if it was anyone else, but auras never lie. You could fake being a good or bad person, but you're aura would always tell the truth.

Hinata noticed that as they got deeper into the forest, the tree's became more scratched, more dented… more damaged. What exactly… did they do?

Finally, they stopped in some sort of clearing, where the trees were most damaged. A fallen log lay next to a flowing stream, and the sun shone brightly on the water, making it sparkle and glitter like there were diamonds threaded through the water.

Tenten gently let go of her hand and sat on the lush grass, Lee joined her. Hinata felt awkward just standing there, so she sat down to in half-lotus position.

"You do yoga?" Lee asked excitedly, looking at her legs.

"W-well… not really, but I do stretch s-sometimes." Hinata answered, not truly honestly. She had done quite a bit of yoga to increase her flexibility.

"I do!" all of a sudden, the boy was on his thumbs in a perfect thumb stand. Hinata's eyes widened as the boy began to do push ups… still on his thumbs. She saw how his muscles rippled and strained underneath the fabric of his tunic. _He trains a l-lot too… it's seems h-he hasn't given himself a b-break since I m-met him in the forest… _

Hinata noticed the bandages on Lee's hands, and fought not to narrow her eyes. Had he been damaging himself again?

"Lee, c'mon, don't show off! I know Guy showed you that, but you don't need to show us!" Tenten said, poking Lee in his stomach.

"N-No, Tenten-chan!" Lee shouted as Tenten began to tickle his stomach. Lee promptly fell over onto the floor.

Tenten giggled as Lee gave her an attempt of a glare. "That was extremely unyouthful Tenten-chan." Hinata couldn't help but giggle too, the boy had a pout and his massive brows were lowered over his eyes.

"Lee-kun… th-that's not yoga. It's s-strength training…" Hinata commented, her mind wandering back to the conversation.

"Ah yes! But it's pretty much the same, is it not Hinata-chan?" Lee said giving her the thumbs up.

Before Hinata could answer, Tenten said something. "So Hinata-chan, you are related to Neji-san then?"

Hinata bit her lip and looked down. "Y-yes." She didn't want to talk about her family… or the lack of family.

"Okay! I just wondered, because you have the same eyes and what Sir said back in class. I just wanted to make sure!" _It seems our new friend doesn't want to talk about Neji-san… I won't push her… she looks a little… delicate. _Tenten observed, thinking of something else to talk about. She chose her favourite topic of all. Weapons.

"Hinata-chan, has your sensei taught you about weapons yet?" Tenten asked, suddenly whipping out a kunai from nowhere.

"N-not really… but I have t-trained a little by my-myself." A little bit more than a little. The Mongeese had asked her to try hunting for food when Shadow and Streak were still little (in the Mongooses opinion) pups. Hinata had hated taking the life of another, even if it was an animal (her first 'kill' was a forest bunny), and she had felt bad for days until Joe had sat her down and explained that for them, it was a eat or be eaten world. Hinata had respected that, but grew scared when Joe told her that once she was a ninja, it would be a kill or be killed world for her. It took Hinata ages to accept the fact that she would have to kill, and it took her even longer to accept that she would have to kill before she was an adult. In fact, she hadn't quite gotten her head round it yet, that was the reason the Mongeese kept sending her out to kill.

"Can I teach you something then? Please?" Hinata was slightly afraid of the girl with that kunai in her hands looking so… energetic. In her peripheral vision, she saw Lee scooting away a bit.

"O-Okay."

"Yes!" Tenten pumped her free hand enthusiastically. "Alright. You got a weapon on you?" Hinata nodded and got out her good kunai.

"Not bad… make 22 isn't it?" Tenten asked, moving her head so she could look at the weapon better. Hinata didn't show her surprise, but she felt it. _I-I think… she is a w-weapons mistress…_

Tenten got to her feet, so Hinata followed suite. Slowly, making sure Hinata could see, Tenten showed her how to hold the kunai properly. When Hinata had gotten it right (which was pretty quickly, Tenten mused), Tenten threw the kunai with grace and speed. There wasn't even a second to breathe before it hit its mark in a nearby tree. Tenten smiled brilliantly, and gestured for Hinata to try.

_I-I'll hit the t-tree… B-but only just… _Hinata made her movements a little stiff, so she wouldn't come off as experienced. With a thud, the kunai hit the tree, but Hinata hadn't put a lot of power into the throw, so it had curved downward and hit the base.

"Not bad Hinata-chan! For a first time, that's pretty good!" Tenten praised, fetching the two knives. Hinata couldn't help blushing, even though the praise didn't really mean anything as it wasn't her first time. Kind words always made her blush; she just wasn't used to compliments.

"Again?" Tenten asked, offering both kunai to Hinata with a grin. Hinata smiled back shyly, and took them.

The rest of break was spent talking, laughing and throwing kunai. Lee hadn't trained in weapons like the two girls, he said he couldn't really stand in one place all the time, he had to move around. The boy of the group had been running through the trees or doing push-ups, whilst talking happily to the girls.

For Hinata, break had been a wonderful breath of fresh air. She was around people, and they were being _nice_. And, probably for the last time, Hinata was willing to put her faith in them not to leave her.

Back at class, Lee offered to sit next to Neji so Tenten and Hinata could have some 'youthful girl time' as Lee had so colourfully put it. Hinata accepted, the last thing she wanted was to be near Neji and his icy exterior.

To Hinata's excitement, this lesson was about Ninjutsu. More importantly, using Ninjutsu. Excitement spread like wildfire amongst Hinata's classmates, it was their first time. They had spent quite a few lessons in chakra control and reading about Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, but they had never attempted real practical work. Until now, that is.

"Students, stand behind your seats please." Imai called out. The younger of the class were more eager, in fact some were so excited that they fell off their chairs. The senior's snickered at the fallen whilst the teacher rolled his eyes. Hinata couldn't giggle, butterflies attacked her stomach and she felt every nerve rushing through her body. She was one of the first to get up, and she admitted that she used a little bit more speed than she should.

Tenten had jumped a little, but the light of suspicion didn't shine in her chocolate brown eyes. "Eager are you? Lee isn't…" Tenten sighed, looking a little sad. Hinata cocked her head in question, but she already knew why Lee wouldn't be as enthusiastic.

"Well… Lee has no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. No-one knows why, his chakra system is fine but… he just can't mold chakra at all. He could use every handsign out there, but he wouldn't be able to create even a _failed _clone. Not only that, it seems he only has enough chakra in his body to maybe… walk on water or walk on vertical surfaces, but that's it. He's tried to increase his reserves, but they just _don't get bigger_. So Lee can only use Taijutsu." Tenten informed, glancing over at her friend. Lee was smiling, but Hinata knew a fake smile when she saw one. She had been able to see through Naruto's after all.

"T-that must b-be so hard… I-if there's an-anything I could do…" Hinata offered, biting her lip in thought. When no one was around, she would have to check his chakra system with her Byakugan.

Tenten smiled a little. "Well, the good thing about Lee is… he never gives up. Plus, he has strength and speed beyond anyone in this class. I've never seen the full extent of what he can do, but there was this one time where Lee got so upset in a lesson he ran out… but he was so _fast_. His Taijutsu needs work, but Kami-sama, he's got the body for it!" Hinata smiled sadly herself, she had seen the price of his strength. Lee overworked his body all day, every day… when he could have an easy, civilian life. The more she knew about Lee, the more Hinata respected him.

The teacher ordered everyone to line up at the front of the classroom, facing the board.

"Class, today, I will be teaching you the Clone Technique." Hinata bounced on her toes (and so did the kids her age), it was a technique she hadn't been able to learn from a book. The explanation hadn't been clear enough; all it had said was that you were supposed to make a single sign to mold your chakra and control how much chakra you gave out. Hinata didn't try it, because she suspected it was a lot harder than that. To her surprise, it wasn't. The teacher explained it exactly like it was in the book, and then showed everyone the Clone technique in action. With a poof of smoke, a perfect replica of Imai-sensei stood next to the original, and some of her class clapped.

"Okay students, some will be brilliant at this, and my class _should _be able to do it…" Imai glanced at Lee, who blushed in embarrassment. "When you are ready, please try."

Hinata followed instructions, and she felt the familiar rise of chakra wash through her body when she made the sign. Familiar, because the feeling was very similar to the Transformation Technique. Hinata checked how the rest of her class had performed before she did her own; she didn't want to stand out. She couldn't brag but… she felt like she could nail this in one, it was exactly like the Transformation Technique, but she needed a little more chakra.

Her classmates attempt at their first jutsu weren't too promising. Only Sasuke was able to make a Clone that didn't collapse in a pitiful, deformed lump on the floor, but his Clone had a facial defect (his face was lopsided) and seemed to be a bit stunted in growth. Hinata sighed and pulled her chakra put of the jutsu. Her result was the same as all of her classmates, a pathetic heap on the floor.

As for the seniors, pretty much all of them (apart from Lee, he had just stood sadly beside Neji's perfectly made Clone) had produced an actual, healthy looking Clones, whilst sniggering at the juniors attempts. In Hinata's opinion, that was very arrogant, but she couldn't do a thing about it… that wouldn't compromise her cover.

"It's alright Hinata-chan, I bet you'll get it in no time! Look, that finger is perfect!" Tenten pointed one of the Clones fingers, which was indeed very well created in comparison to the rest of its body. Hinata sighed in mock disappointment.

"C'mon Hinata-chan, I bet you can do it with a bit of work!" Tenten coached, as the teacher ordered everyone to try again. The second round of Clones were little better than the first, but most were still a useless lump on the floor. As for Naruto, he hadn't progressed at all; his clone was easily the ugliest and most useless of the group.

In fact, all the way through the lesson, he hadn't improved one little bit. Hinata had an inkling as to why, but she would need to use her Byakugan to make sure. And using her kekki-genki (that she wasn't even supposed to have activated) was a big no-no if she wanted to blend in. She doubted glowing eyes like hers would go unnoticed.

By the end of the lesson, everyone was covered in sweat, apart from Lee (as he hadn't participated in the exercise), Naruto (who simply looked frustrated and devastated) and Hinata herself. Hinata was grateful that she didn't feel tired and felt a sense of accomplishment at the fact her training did show results, but she fretted a little; what if someone noticed she was completely fine after something that left even Sasuke (the class prodigy) bending on his knees out of breath.

Her fears were confirmed when Shikamaru caught her eye and inclined his head a little, but his attention drifted when a kid came up to the duo and harshly commented on Choji's size. Hinata clenched her small fists in anger; pretty much the whole of Konoha were against her and those dear to her. It was unusual for someone like Hinata to have bad thoughts, but in this matter, the blue head couldn't help but think about how this whole town needed a good lesson on respect. Preferably, a painful lesson. A sickened feeling filled Hinata and she tried to banish the thoughts of other people being hurt; it seemed that the weekly beating she had received had altered her mind slightly.

"Class dismissed, throwing practice next lesson. Prepare to work _very _hard!" Imai announced, and Hinata felt the floor vibrate as Tenten began hopping from one foot to another, squealing softly in excitement. A warm glow settled in Hinata's stomach; she bet in the next lesson it was her new friends time to _shine_.

"My fave lesson next! Hinata-chan, eat with us at lunch and I'll give you a couple more tips on how to throw!" Tenten beamed, and Hinata couldn't help smiling back; in a small way, Tenten reminded Hinata of Naruto, his smiles were infectious too.

Hinata did end up joining Tenten and Lee for lunch, at the same spot amongst the trees. Hinata didn't trust the two enough yet to show her true abilities, so after they had eaten (there was a tuck shop in the senior playground, so Lee had gotten everyone lunch) Hinata told them she was going for a quick jog because she wanted to test how far she could go. Lee offered to go with her, but Hinata flattered him a little and said that he would be bored with her around because she went slowly, and that she would most likely talk to him and lose focus because he is interesting. A warm pink tinged the boys tan cheeks, and he did stay where he was. Hinata assured she would be back soon before setting off.

When Hinata was away from the clearing, she checked with her Byakugan to see who was around. No one, everyone was back at the playground, and Hinata's range couldn't pick up anyone in front. There were a couple of animals scurrying around, but nothing dangerous. The bluenette went deeper into the forest, stopping periodically for danger. When she was confident that no one could find her, she began training.

Back at class, Hinata had felt like she could already master the Clone Technique, and she had been dying to find out. Putting her hands together, she channelled her chakra. After the smoke cleared, she inspected the fruit of her labour.

It wasn't perfect exactly, the pixie hairstyle she had was longer than her own hair, the eye colour was off and she had put the bandages on her foot on the wrong way. Nothing big, but anyone who knew her would notice immediately something was up.

Hinata had found it surprisingly hard to correct the little details of that jutsu; it seemed to require the perfect amount of chakra. Over the next ten minutes, Hinata varied the amount of chakra she put into the jutsu. She found that if she put all her strength into the jutsu, it would become a useless lump of fake flesh, same if she put in too little. A further five minutes was all it took to get the right amount, and Hinata wasn't sweating too much.

Her final product was a mirror image of herself. It was so strange, to look at yourself in the flesh from a different point of view. Hinata wondered if she could control what the Clone did, but then she realised she had to be getting back. Controlling the illusion was for another time it seemed.

She ran with her Seal on 100 kilograms to tire herself out, and it worked. When she had first adjusted it, she couldn't move until she used chakra enhanced movements. It took her about 10 minutes to get back and she was a sweating, gasping mess by the time she got to the clearing where Tenten and Lee were sat patiently waiting for her. She lightened up her Seal and sweet relief coursed over her. She literally felt like a great weight had been lifted off her body. She promptly collapsed on the floor, much to her friend's surprise.

"Whoa, Hinata-chan, are you alright?" Tenten fussed, getting out her water bottle and holding it up to the girl's lips. Hinata drank gratefully and vowed never to beef up her Seal like that unless she wanted to kill herself.

"Tenten, I think she has been working a little too youthfully!" Lee said, grinning at Tenten.

"Hinata-chan, please don't take a leaf out of Lee's book and push yourself too hard. He's used to it but by the looks of it, you're not." Tenten's brow was creasing in worry, and she began biting her nails in anxiety.

Hinata gave a weak grin to the girl, and a feeling of contentment filled her. _Sh-she cares… _"O-Okay…" If only she knew how used to training Hinata was.

There was a short, comfortable silence while Hinata got her breath back. It was the boy of the group who broke it.

"Well Hinata-chan, since you cannot really speak right now, I think its time Tenten and I talk about ourselves a bit. We haven't told you the reason why we wanted to become ninja, did we?" Lee grinned a 1000 watt smile and did his signature pose. "I want to prove to the world that I can become a great ninja without using Ninjutsu or Genjutsu! Only Taijutsu!"

"T-that's a won-wonderful goal Lee-k-kun…" Hinata breathed, smiling a little.

"Thank you Hinata-chan. Your turn Tenten-chan!" Lee passed over to Tenten.

"Well… I want to become a great kunoichi like Tsunade-sama, one of the Great Sennin. But, I want to do it using weapons, a great weapons mistress!" Tenten grinned too and suddenly, 5 shuriken appeared in her hands. She caressed the spikes of the weapons in a loving way before throwing them in to nearby tree. They all hit the base of the tree in a straight line vertically.

"W-wow T-Tenten, that i-is amazing." An unusual feeling of jealously sprang up in Hinata's mind, but for the right reasons. She wanted to be that good!

"Thanks!" Tenten blushed. _S-she doesn't get p-praised a lot t-too… but sh-she's amazing… _Hinata thought sadly. All three of them were diamonds in the rough, brilliant balls of clay. They just needed some guidance to become true masters.

It was time for Hinata to talk about her dream… it would be rude, these people had shared something as special as their life dream with her, she should trust in them a little, although her trust had been broken so many times.

"W-well… my dream is t-to prove that I am strong… I n-need to prove that to e-everyone and my-myself… I am not just a wallflower!" Hinata put passion into those words. She didn't desire attention, she desired to be acknowledged and respected. But respect had to be earnt, and Hinata had a long way to go, she knew.

Tears streamed down Lee's eyes and he held his fist to his chest. "T-that's so youthful! YOSH! That's a beautiful dream Hinata-chan!"

Tenten was frowning with… something like worry in her eyes. "Who said you're a wallflower Hinata-chan?"

Lee stopped crying dramatically and all went silent. "No-one… I-I just feel like one…" Hinata told the truth, she hadn't been called a wallflower. She had been called worse. But she wouldn't say that, she didn't need or want pity. Unfortunately, she already saw it in Lee and Tenten's expressive eyes.

"You shouldn't call yourself that Hinata-chan!" Tenten said.

"Down beat yourself down!" Lee added.

Hinata gave her biggest, brightest smile to the two wonderful children in front of her. "T-thank y-you so m-much!"

Tenten had kept her word and she ended up training Hinata and Lee for the next lesson.

Excitement shot through Hinata, for once, she had an excuse to be good at something. Training with Tenten had improved her existing skills and she now had a believable reason as to why she was quite good first time.

Walking into the gym (as the trio had found a note on the door telling them to go there), Hinata felt eyes on her. They weren't friendly, but her class saw seniors with her and the glares lessened.

"Hinata-chan… why did your class glare at you just then?" Tenten asked, meeting the eyes of Akane, who turned away.

"… I don't know." Hinata answered truthfully. She thought for another moment. "I d-don't fit in; I-I have no f-friends…" she added quietly.

Tenten's jaw clenched tightly and Hinata saw Lee frown in the corner of her eye. "Well, Hinata-chan, you can hang around with me and Lee-kun when you want…" Tenten's brown eyes sparked a little. "I need a girl to talk to sometimes, no offense Lee-kun!"

"None taken Tenten-chan. Hinata-chan, it would very youthful if you were our friends! I would like it very much! Yosh!" Lee did what Hinata now called his good guy pose.

Emotions that Hinata hadn't felt in months coursed through her body. They wanted her… around them… they were the ones to invite her… she hadn't had to even approach them to gain friendship… In her happiness, she felt her eyes tear up a little. Hinata rubbed them softly, and when she inspected her hand, she saw a single eyelash on one of her fingertips.

_K-Kami-sama… please… i-if you can hear me… p-please… don't let th-them leave… like everyone el-else… _gently, the girl blew on the eyelash, sealing her wish. Every fibre of her being wanted it to be granted. If she lost anymore people… she wouldn't be able to face gaining new ones. This was Hinata's last chance at friendship. If it failed… she wouldn't hurt herself again. She would be alone, and she would stay alone.

"Thank you…" Hinata shyly clutched Lee and Tenten's hands. They squeezed before leading her along to the line of students waiting for the weapons lesson to begin.

"Iruka's students, this is your first shuriken and kunai lesson is it not?" Imai then went into a long explanation of how to hold the weapons that he had given out and warnings that anyone who misbehaves with the Academy weapons will be thrown out of school. Akane had glared at Hinata with a kunai in hand, but did nothing.

Hinata paired up with Tenten and Lee, since you were allowed in bigger groups than usual.

"Students of Iruka, please step up here and throw so I can assess your first try." Imai commanded.

"_Use your skills Hinata-chan!" _Tenten mouthed, whilst Lee gave her the thumbs up.

Sasuke was first, and he hit the target board, but not on bulls eye. Still, the girls squealed and cooed about how awesome he was.

Akane was next, she clipped the board but missed it.

Naruto didn't hit the board at all and his kunai got imbedded into the wall. The same happened with Choji and Kiba.

Sakura's aim was okay; her weapon clipped the board like Akane had. Ino's hit the board around the edge, but her kunai dropped off after a few seconds. Shikamaru's kunai didn't even reach the board.

It was her turn, and she heard her classmates giggling and whispering things about her. She ignored them… she had a chance to prove herself a little.

The yellow dot of the board's centre loomed so close… she could feel it… it was going to hit perfectly. She raised her arm and heard a swoosh of air behind her. In her shock, she didn't duck and a sharp pain pierced the arm she was going to throw with. Warmth stickiness surrounded the pain. Finally, Hinata looked down… and gasps were heard around the room.

Hinata could see the metal handle of a kunai, surrounded in crimson. Coppery fumes filled her nose, along with the smell of sick. Someone had thrown up.

"WHO THREW THAT!" Imai bellowed, running over to Hinata. Calmly, Hinata reached for her pocket and drew out her Healing Ointment and then removed the bandage on her foot. The Ointment was antiseptic so if the bandage was dirty, the Ointment would neutralize the bacteria.

"S-sir… I-I will go out and c-clean myself up… s-some people don't like b-blood." Hinata pointed out the sick student with her good arm.

"B-but… I need to heal it… Aren't you i-in pain?" Imai asked, staring at the weapon embedded deeply in her arm.

"No." she beckoned for Imai to come to her. Shyly, Hinata whispered in his ear. "I-I've had worse… this i-is nothing s-sensei."

Imai gasped and then frowned. "Hinata-chan… who-"

"I have t-to g-get this s-sorted out… sorry for t-the interruption." Hinata bowed and walked out of the room. She read the eyes of the students as she walked. Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, and Sakura were horrified. Naruto was horrified and angry… the whisker marks on his cheeks were becoming more defined, and Hinata felt his chakra start to change.

"Naruto-kun… I-I am o-okay… b-believe it." Hinata added his favourite phrase to the sentence, which made his eyes soften a little. Hinata breathed in relief… she wouldn't have Naruto's tenant playing up, enough drama had happened already.

Tenten and Lee looked shocked and angry, Neji… his mask had slipped slightly and he looked… guilty.

The last face she saw was Akane's… who was smiling and holding up her empty hand with pride. Hinata did something completely unexpected… she smiled and pulled out the kunai right then and there, making those around her gasp again. She stared into Akane's black, fearful eyes. _She had to do this… in front of everyone… _

Hinata got out of the gym as quickly as she could, and instead of using her Ointment, she just healed herself with the Mystical Palm, she had checked that no one was watching with her Byakugan before she did so.

Hinata scolded herself when she was healing herself; she shouldn't have let her mask break. She should have acted like a drama queen… she should have cried. But she couldn't… she couldn't disgrace herself by acting stupid. But she had been foolish, smiling and pulling out a kunai was not a good blending in technique. Yes, it had hurt, but her father had driven one lesson into her. Hide your weakness, less you become weak. He taught this by making her experience pain… lots of it. It was not the sort of lesson she wished anyone else to have.

So naturally, when she her Byakugan caught her father training her sister… she wanted to stop it.

Her sister was in a similar position that she had been, 4 years ago. Her first training lesson had basically been getting into Juken stance and then being beaten harshly. Again. And again. And again. Her father had continued to beat her… until she made no noise. Her sister… the one she had never seen… was going through that right now.

Her sister had long, brown hair and of course, the pale eyes of the Hyuga kekki-genki. She looked a lot like Hiashi himself, but her face was childlike, delicate… and bruised.

_N-no… _To Hinata, it was like seeing herself being remade. In a few months, her blood sister, the one her mother had _died_ for, would be a stuttering, trembling mess. Unless she had a will of steel… but that was unlikely with Hiashi around. He had beaten the will right out of Hinata.

Her little sister of only two years… was flung through the air, little face contorted in pain. Hinata felt sick, her dinner was coming back in her mouth. This… was so wrong… and Hiashi was _smiling_… was that what it had looked like when she had been training with her 'father'? Hinata's mind couldn't take it anymore, her dinner ended up on the floor in a pile of yellowish mush.

She didn't even feel better, she felt worse. Her mouth tasted of sick, the air smelt of vomit and blood, and even though her Byakugan had de-activated when she had threw up, the horrific images of her sisters 'training' haunted her mind.

She couldn't let this happen. He… had to be put away. Before he destroyed her sisters mind like her had scarred hers.

In fear, disgust and determination the girl set off to find the leader of the village. Hiashi had gone too far.

She didn't even bother to announce her arrival to the receptionist, nor did she bother to knock on the Hokage's door. She burst in, uncaring of her appearance.

She had to save the one Hyuga who wasn't prejudiced against her… before it was too late.

xXx

And… end! That took ages to write… ohh, by the way… I'M GOING TO SWEDEN FOR 2 WEEKS AT THE START OF THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS! Woot! It's my last Scout camp ever because I'm quitting after it. So, in the holidays you wont get a chapter for about 3 weeks or so, sorry! xxx

*Iruka is away asking the Hokage whether he can get Naruto out of his class. I'm saying it now because I wasn't going to go into detail in the story.

I will be doing Jutsu names in English, not Japanese, because in other people's stories, I can't keep track of all the Japanese names. Sorry if this annoys anyone, but it makes the story a little easier to read.

Till next time, Ingat! xxx


	12. Chapter 11

Twisted Yet Still Pure

Hiya! This chapter will be the last one you get in quite a while (unless I become a ninja in writing and get another chapter done), since I'm off to Sweden for two weeks! I leave on Saturday. Enjoy, beautiful people! xXx

Reviewers Answer Time!

**Mi3staR**: Lol, no problem, read my story when you want! Hinata and her problems at school… I will put more about them soon, after this chapter! I promise! Yupp, Tenten and Lee are gonna be in it, and they are gonna stay in it! Of course Hinata is going to prove herself… just not right now! It doesn't matter how long a review is, the good ones still make me smile (like this one did!). Enjoy! x

**ShyWolf**: Thanks! Yeah, Hinata's going to be okay on the friend front. The Akane drama won't clear up until the next chapter… and there's gonna be quite a big finale for Akane… all I'm saying! Happy Reading! x

**Eirdaru**: Thanks for that… an idea popped into my head. They will be meeting slightly earlier than I first planned. It did help me out! Happy Reading! x

**StarDustX**: Err… lol; I can't believe I made you cry! Sorry for the disappointment of no NaruHina… I'll try and make GaaHina good for you… Enjoy this chapter! *gives tissues* Just in case :3 x

**Midnight Vixen 97**: I'm glad you like GaaHina! And heres your next chapter, enjoy! x

**Mori3**: Hmmm Tenten's more of a porcupine sort of girl… all the pointy spikes :) Might put that in! Hokage's actions done in this chapter! Akane (purple headed bully) threw the knife at Hinata… just saying. That will be in the next chapter or so. Enjoy! x

**Fay of the Ink and Paper**: Lol! You'll find out why later… Gaara, but… need ideas on how to write him! Enjoy! x

**Echo-Uchiha**: Thanks. Happy Reading! x

**Wisdom-Jewel**: Thanks. Happy Reading! x

**HumorMeh**: Don't ask why, but I love your pen name! Thanks, I try and keep some of it light because it gets draggy with all the drama sometimes. I still have some plot twists in store… so Happy Reading! x

**Hinatafan711**: Yum… for that, another chapter! Happy, Yummy Reading! x

**ChocoRoseLuv**: Thank you. Truthfully, I'm nervous… it's a Back to Basics camp… as in, make your own tables, chairs etc. Not tents though :) Enjoy! X

Hope you like it everyone! xxx

Chapter 11

_Previously…_

_Her little sister of only two years… was flung through the air, little face contorted in pain. Hinata felt sick, her dinner was coming back in her mouth. This… was so wrong… and Hiashi was smiling… was that what it had looked like when she had been training with her 'father'? Hinata's mind couldn't take it anymore, her dinner ended up on the floor in a pile of yellowish mush._

_She didn't even feel better, she felt worse. Her mouth tasted of sick, the air smelt of vomit and blood, and even though her Byakugan had de-activated when she had threw up, the horrific images of her sisters 'training' haunted her mind._

_She couldn't let this happen. He… had to be put away. Before he destroyed her sisters mind like her had scarred hers._

_In fear, disgust and determination the girl set off to find the leader of the village. Hiashi had gone too far. _

_She didn't even bother to announce her arrival to the receptionist, nor did she bother to knock on the Hokage's door. She burst in, uncaring of her appearance. _

_She had to save the one Hyuga who wasn't prejudiced against her… before it was too late._

_Now…_

The leader of the village sat, pipe in his withered mouth, staring in what seemed like shock at Hinata. Slowly, as if time itself were halted, the smoking pipe fell from his wizened lips and landed with a loud clatter on the desk.

The sound startled Hinata and the Hokage, who seemed to gather himself once again.

"Hinata-chan… It would be lovely to see you… but I gather the circumstances under which you visit me are not pleasant. By Kami-sama, who did this to you?" the Hokage asked, giving off a chilling vibe.

Hinata clenched her teeth as the old man in front of her unleashed Killing Intent… hopefully not meant for her. "I-If you mean t-the b-blood s-sir… t-the teacher's a-are dealing with… them." Hinata hoped. If Akane was still in school after what she had done… Konoha must be truly desperate to let a threat like her linger and grow like a tumour inside shinobi ranks. "I-I am not h-here for my-myself Hokage-sama…"

"It's Jiji-san to you… Go on, child." The man reminded, but Hinata barely heard him. She had to tell him now… her sister was still… with that _monster._

"Jiji-sama… please… I need… to put Hiashi away!" Hinata shouted, tears threatening to spill over her eyes. She pushed them back with willpower, before going on. "H-Hiashi… is t-training with my sister… like he h-had trained me… only _worse_!" Images of her little sister, beaten and bruised, tortured her mind. No words could describe the sickness Hinata felt. Salty tears leaked from her pale eyes, and in her desperation, Hinata got onto her knees. "Jiji… P-please! H-help me p-put him away!"

The Hokage's rage increased further looking at the beautiful little kunochi in training breaking down in front of him. _Whatever Hiashi has done… whatever Hinata has seen… must have been truly terrible for her to break down like this… she barely shed a tear when she told me about her life… I will make Hiashi pay… On my title of Hokage, I will make him pay!_

Hinata trembled in fear as the Killing Intent rose to a new intensity. Although Hinata spent a huge amount of time near Killing Intents of varied strengths and meanings… the one radiating from the Hokage was the worst by far. She felt as if she were dying… suffocating by the sheer fury in the air.

Hinata eyes clashed with the steely, brown ones of the village leader… and the deathly atmosphere dissipated. Hinata took in breaths of air gratefully; fear had made her forget to breathe.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan…" the words registered in her mind… and Hinata let out a muffled scream. _NO! T-There has to b-be SOMETHING! HE CAN'T GET AWAY! _Unknowingly, Hinata unleashed her emotions into the air around her, making the Hokage himself check his actions. He had only apologised because of his anger… but Hinata must have taken it the wrong way. The screams and sobs of the girl in front of her were no temper tantrum… they were true, and had real power and meaning behind them. But soon, Hinata unleashed more than just raw emotion. Her chakra was starting to leak out of her body, Sarutobi could see it. It was twirling and lashing around her in deadly blue spikes. Anything the tendrils touched seemed to lose solidity and become a puddle on whatever object it was placed on. This had gone far beyond a loss of emotions… The girl was losing herself to pain. Everything she had experienced in her short life… all the hardships… the hurt… it had finally broke her mind.

_S-she can't! I-It can't be! She… her chakra! Th-that type! It doesn't exist anymore! _The Hokage thought to himself as the twirling energy arms destroyed his office even further. He had to stop this before she turned the building into liquid and herself into an emotional wreck.

With practiced yet waning speed, the Hokage dashed to the distraught girl, nimbly avoiding the deadly chakra whips that thrashed around her. The Hokage sent chakra to his finger and jabbed her neck, causing the girl to fall unconscious.

The old man couldn't help but sigh in relief as the chakra tendrils dispersed. He looked down with pitying eyes at the small, tear-streaked form of the sleeping girl.

He would help her and her sister… but he had to make sure her mind was stable first.

Making the handsigns, the Hokage Transported to the hospital with Hinata in tow before getting her a comfortable bed to sleep in. Kami knows, she needed rest. Unfortunately, Inoichi going through her mind wouldn't give her that, but it was for her sister's sake.

Performing yet more handsigns, the man summoned Inoichi, and carefully explained the situation at hand. The blonde shinobi had leaked out some Killing Intent of his own, and somewhere in the Hyuga house, Hiashi shivered. He knew _someone _was going to come for him.

"Hokage-sama… I am ready to inspect her mind now. I will try and make it quick." Inoichi informed, getting his chakra ready.

"Do it." Konoha's leader ordered, and Inoichi infiltrated the mind of the worn out girl.

xXx

Inoichi found himself inside Hinata's mindscape. There was no denying that it was beautiful.

Underneath his feet was a giant lake of silvery purple water, which represented Hinata's chakra. It rippled like silk when he touched it, signifying she had great chakra control. People who were bad at chakra control sometimes had unstable or potentially dangerous mindscapes since chakra governed the body.

The 'sky' was a delicate grey overall, signifying the proportion of good memories to bad ones. A mind filled with bad memories would be a murky, dark colour, or even black, and a mind remembering happy, stimulating memories would be a brilliant, shining colour. To see that Hinata's was grey was a disappointment, but Inoichi knew that it could be a lot worse, the fact that Hinata had a way of… seeing the_ good_ in things made this mindscape a little more bearable.

One brilliant orb of pure gold hung in the sky, and next to it was a black moon. The two cosmic objects represented Hinata's good memories, and Hinata's darker experiences. Inoichi noticed that the black moon was bigger than the 'sun'.

Before going over to Hinata's darker memories (the black moon) he took a look at what was underneath the purple-silver sea that was Hinata's chakra. The most protected secrets and powers were always underneath the chakra itself, and the more powerful a person, the harder it was to dive beneath the surface of the chakra.

Underneath the surface of the chakra sea, objects floated about, representing different memories and abilities.

Inoichi could see glittering pebbles drifting peacefully around, along with the symbol for life, the Yin-Yang. Herbs and different flowers floated peacefully nearer the top of the chakra lake, and that signified it was one of her lesser secrets, along with a couple of scrolls and various title-less books. Kunai and shuriken were scattered amongst the metallic purple depths, and over one kunai crimson wisps of what seemed to be blood fluttering around the blade. But the object that made Inoichi uneasy was the spinal column swimming through the sea of chakra, and surrounding it were silver pulses of something. It was very deep down, so much so that if it weren't for the silver pulses surrounding the bone, Inoichi would have never had found it.

Inoichi sensed there was a lot more down there, her most protected secrets. But respect for the girl's privacy outweighed his curiosity, so he just drifted over to the black moon. A sense of cold dread overtook his body and when he touched the black orb; despair, grief and a feeling of sickness coursed through his body.

Quickly, Inoichi withdrew his hand and gasped, the sound echoing endlessly.

Inoichi had never experienced anything like that before… usually, when going through the darker aspects of someone's mind, Inoichi would feel nothing. But, in extremely rare cases, the interrogator (namely Inoichi) would _feel _everything in the memories because they were so strong, or because there were so many of them.

Inoichi groaned and dipped his hand into the blackness again. The feeling of dread filled him again, but he didn't pull out. He endured the feelings until finally, the setting changed.

He was standing in a training room, and two figures were in there with him. Since it was a memory, they could see nor hear him. The figures were of Hiashi Hyuga and little 2 year old Hinata Hyuga. Excitement coursed through his body, and Inoichi knew that was what Hinata had been feeling at the time.

"_Hinata, today you will begin your training to become Clan Leader. First, get into this stance." _Hiashi slipped into the strong, stone-like stance of the Gentle Fist. Hinata mirrored him, but there were a few mistakes. Nothing to be too upset about.

He was wrong, as Hiashi began berating his daughter about her stance. When she had corrected it, the first hit came. Inoichi was shocked to hear a scream coming from the small girl; she had been hit with such force.

Hinata lay there, crumpled on the floor. Inoichi felt confused, and his chest hurt badly, like Hinata's did. The blonde intruder gritted his teeth; it looked like he would have to go through pain and emotion to find out if Hinata was stable.

"_Rule number one, do not make a sound. Even in agony, you must be silent. Show no weakness! Again!" _to Inoichi's disgust, he saw Hiashi smile as the trembling, aching form of Hinata rose to her feet and got into a clumsy stance.

Hiashi corrected her stance again, insulting her as he did so. Then, he hit her again. She screamed again, so Hiashi ordered her up.

It went on… forever. Inoichi couldn't help grunt and groan in pain himself as Hinata was beaten in front of him. Eventually, Hinata fainted out of pain, but Inoichi was able to hang on to see what Hiashi did.

"_Pathetic… it looks like she'll have to go through more conditioning…" _Hiashi smiled cruelly at the bruised, unconscious form of his daughter, making Inoichi gag. _That bastard! How sick is he! _

The scene changed again, it was at dinner. Hiashi was teaching Hinata how dine properly, but every time she made a mistake, Hiashi mocked and degraded her. At the end, Hinata was a stuttering, crying mess. Anyone would be after being treated like that from their own father.

Another scene. Short, but emotionally scarring. Hiashi was screaming at her for stuttering, which in turn made the little Hyuga more nervous, more prone to stuttering.

The flashbacks went on and on and on, most of them were about 'training'. 'Training' it seemed, consisted of being beaten until Hinata couldn't move anymore, and at the same time, she was scolded, insulted and mocked at by Hiashi. Inoichi felt every word, every insult, every bruise and every breakage of Hinata's bones. Soon, he was crying on the floor too, helplessly, shamelessly. It went on and on, the pain intensified because Hinata was only a small child and every cut seemed like a stab to her, every insult seemed like the end of the world.

More scenes played out. Hinata being ignored by her family. Hinata locked up in her room, crying. Hinata looking out into the garden wistfully, watching as the other Main Branch children play happily. Hinata had been grounded… because she was deemed 'weak' from her father.

It didn't stop, in fact, Inoichi had experienced two years worth of bad memories, because every day, there was another tragedy in her life.

Another training session morphed in front of his eyes, and Inoichi screamed aloud. These training sessions… they were beyond brutal. Hell couldn't compare, she was only _a toddler._

The harsh training session began as usual, Hinata being beaten and then being expected to get back up again. She was covered in bruises and cuts, and Inoichi felt each one of them. Then, after some more insults, Hiashi seemed to snap. He began beating Hinata furiously whilst she was on the ground defenceless, screaming and shouting slanderous things at her.

"_**You are not my daughter! **__My children would never be pathetic or weak like you. I try, I try so hard to beat some skill into you, but I get no effort and no progress in return. And it is YOUR FAULT!" _Hiashi screamed, blinded by his rage. He charged at his daughters cowering frame, his palm spiked with deadly chakra. His hand was about to strike her heart-

And then, Inoichi felt himself being dragged mercilessly out of the memory, through the blackness of emotion back to Hinata's mindscape. It wasn't a second before he actually got thrown out of Hinata's mindscape. He had no control; it seemed Hinata had begun fighting him. He wouldn't push, truth be told, he was too exhausted from feeling everything in those memories to even-

The real world span around Inoichi, he didn't have time to finish his own thought before he collapsed onto the floor. He felt empty, defeated, but there was no pain. Well, he felt heavy from chakra-depletion, but that was it.

It took a full half hour to recover, which shocked Sarutobi to the core. Inoichi was a fully fledged shinobi, used to seeing… _them _kind of images… Unless…

_No… he didn't… feel it? If he did, her mind must be in ruin… Only Ibiki… even then, Ibiki and his interrogator had needed therapy… Hinata-chan… what has happened to you? _The Hokage wondered, stroking the velvet soft cheek of the sweating girl gently. Her eyelids fluttered open and a gasp fell from the pink lips.

"J-Jiji… I-I had a nightmare… Hiashi-"Hinata's hand flew to her mouth. Pale eyes widened, and then something like a smile formed on the girls face. "Jiji… you c-can arrest Hiashi-san…" Hinata closed her eyes in happiness; her sister was going to be safe from that monster of a man very soon.

"Hinata-chan…" the Hokage muttered, looking from the tortured expression of Inoichi to the glowing face of Hinata.

"H-Hokage-s-sama…" Inoichi mumbled, getting up off the floor. Hinata's eyes shot open once more.

"Inoichi-sama!" Hinata greeted, but then her face dropped at his expression. "A-are you okay?"

"Hinata-chan… How?" Hinata looked confused. "How did you _live _with that man…? Hiashi… how did you… not go insane?"

The girl's breathing spiked. He… had been through her memories… _P-please say… he doesn't k-know about… the Mongeese… Wait… was that why… I had the nightmares? H-he was going t-through my memories? _

"Inoichi-san, report." The Hokage commanded. He couldn't wait for answers anymore; he had to know whether this child was okay.

"H-Hokage-sama… It was…" Inoichi swallowed heavily. "Like Hell. Hiashi…" Killing Intent flared from Inoichi. "He beat Hinata viciously every day, insulted her, ignored her… and called it training… I… can't describe what she has been through. But… Her mind is very stable… I got thrown out because _Hinata_ threw me out."

"Beaten?" the old man asked, whilst Hinata started to curl up in a ball on the bed.

"Yes… It wasn't training Hokage-sama. It was child-abuse of the worst kind. And I felt it all." Inoichi stated in monotone, before gagging. "The sick monster smiled about it too." Inoichi couldn't contain himself any longer; he threw up into the bin beside Hinata's bed.

Not even the sound of vomiting could make Hinata raise her head. She was feeling sick herself; had it really been like that? She had seen the memories/nightmares from a spectator's point of view… and it had sickened her. It still did sicken her, but she had nothing to vomit, she had emptied her stomach earlier at her sisters 'training'.

"Child abuse… isn't something a Clan Leader would be put away for… he has most of the Council on his side…" the Hokage stated gravely. Hinata raised her head at last.

"N-no… b-but how about the a-attempted m-murder of a Konoha citizen, a-and… placing a modified Branch Seal o-on a Konoha c-citizen?" Hinata whispered shyly at the two startled adults.

"What do you mean Hinata-chan? You were his daughter... it was legal." The Hokage said, frowning.

"N-no… he disowned me b-before he p-placed the S-Seal on me… before h-he tried to s-strike my heart with a Gentle F-Fist blow." Hinata took a deep breath. "He told me… I-I… wasn't his d-daughter…"

A heavy silence filled the room.

"You are right. Hiashi… did disown you. I saw it." Inoichi confirmed, shuddering slightly.

It was all the Hokage needed. He summoned a group of ANBU to arrest Hiashi Hyuga on the charges of attempted murder and marking of a Konoha citizen. Hinata caught a couple of ANBU shaking at the mention of Hiashi's name.

"Go. Bring him here." The Hokage commanded. As soon as the order left his lips, the ANBU disappeared like shadows into nothingness.

A bare, deep silence covered the room, leaving the three occupants to their thoughts.

_H-Hiashi… I-I will see him f-for the f-first time in t-two years… l-looking like this… _Hinata looked down at her blood and sick stained jacket… before taking it off. Yes, the lavender long-sleeved shirt was still stained with blood from Akane's kunai, but she looked a little more presentable.

_How could she live like that… and stay… so innocent? _Inoichi wondered, taking in the calm face of the girl in front of him.

_She's an enigma… I have to keep a closer eye on her… not Naruto-kun… but Naruto… the villagers… I should have two crystal balls… _the Hokage was too, looking at Hinata.

Eventually, the quiet was disturbed by the sound of shouting… Hinata recognised Hiashi's voice. She knew it so well… especially when loud.

_SLAP!_

The sharp sound shot through the air and then there was a thump. The Hokage dashed outside, and then the air inside the hospital became heavy, weighed down by the sheer amount of Killing Intent radiating throughout it.

Hinata closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing as the sounds outside her room grew louder. The door opened, and she took a look at Hiashi.

His hair was dishevelled, his face was sweaty and he sported a bruise on the side of his left cheek. He was held by 4 ANBU, and still struggling. His insane, icy eyes locked onto Hinata, and he roared like an animal.

Suddenly, Hinata's entire body burned with pain. It was blinding, terrifying. Her screams echoed through the air, drowning out the sound of Hiashi's roar. Her body convulsed violently in pain, it was like nothing she had ever experienced before. It… was by far the most painful thing she had ever felt, and no physical pain could ever match it.

"HINATA! STOP!" the Hokage roared, and Hinata opened her eyes. Surrounding her was… silvery purple energy arms, and they had destroyed most of the room already. The pain was still blinding, but she stopped leaking out chakra.

A crunching noise was heard, and then Hinata's pain went as quickly as it came. The tortured girl slumped back onto the headboard. _H-he… my Seal…_

"Hiashi… if you do that again I will kill you right here and now. Understood?" the Hokage threatened, directing pure fury at a shocked, feral Hiashi. Hiashi said nothing, he just stared at his blood daughter... who had just single handidly destroyed the room in a matter of seconds.

"Hiashi… I am stripping you of your title as Clan Leader. You are charged with the following; first degree murder of an ANBU, child abuse of the highest charge, attempted murder of a citizen of Konoha and placing a modified, untested Branch Seal on a Konoha citizen. Do you deny any of these charges?" the Hokage stated coldly.

"I do. I deny all apart from killing that ANBU. The fool should have let me go." Hiashi smirked, but it was quickly wiped off as the Hokage, Inoichi and 4 ANBU directed their Killing Intent at him.

"Hiashi, if you had nothing to fear, you should have come quietly. It was you're mistake, and it will cost you your life. As for the rest of the charges… you disowned Hinata-chan before you placed that wretched Seal on her, and you tried to kill her. As for child abuse…"

"You are a sick, twisted bastard who smiles as he beats up children who are weaker than you. I. Felt. It." Inoichi said. The ANBU seemed to turn towards Hinata and look at her sitting there, dazed from the pain she had felt.

"As my title of Hokage, I have decided on your fate. You are to be executed, but first, you will remove the Seal you have placed upon Hinata. Then, the ANBU will take you to Anko for punishment before you die." Hiashi started to tremble, but then… he laughed.

The former Clan Head cackled devilishly, tears of laughter falling down from his eyes. When the madman stopped his laughter, he grinned.

"I am going to die… fine. But… no one else can remove that Seal apart from me." Hiashi turned his head towards his daughter. "This is my final act… That Seal will brand you forever! And anyone of the Main Branch can activate it! Including… your sister Hanabi." Suddenly, Hiashi's arms glowed brightly with chakra, and the ANBU restraining him were forced to let go. Hiashi raised his hand which was charged with deadly, blue chakra and struck his own heart.

A single, rough cough rang throughout the room, and blood spurted from Hiashi's open mouth. He was in obvious pain, but he smiled demonically at his eldest child, before collapsing on the floor.

He was dead… Hinata knew. She was branded forevermore with the Branch Mark… no one could change that now.

The question was, did the rest of the Main Branch hate her like her father had?

If so, she was in grave danger.

xXx

Three days had passed since Hiashi died.

Hinata hadn't known what to feel… he had been a demon, a cruel, harsh man. But… he had also been her father… nothing would ever change that.

Hinata could only bring herself to feel relief that he was gone, her sister would be safe now… and hopefully, a reasonable Clan Head would take Hiashi's place, for everyone's sake.

Hinata had attended the funeral. Hinata had insisted that Hiashi's death should be blamed on a heart attack, to save him and the Clan true disgrace. The Hokage had questioned her honourable actions, to which Hinata had replied that shame would gain nothing for the Clan, Konoha and herself, so there was no point to it. Hanabi, her sister, also lived in the Clan, and Hinata wouldn't bring her dishonour. It just wasn't fair.

Without even noticing it, Hinata had begun to deteriorate. She had stopped eating and sleep didn't come easy either. Questions whirled around in her head, about her father, the Clan, herself. She could still remember the chakra arms that had come from her body; what had that been about? She thanked the Kami's that no one questioned _how _she was able to find out about her sister's… training. She prayed the Hokage would forget about that with all the rest of the drama going on.

For instance… Naruto. After the incident at the hospital, Hinata had been Transported to her apartment along with the Hokage, where she had found Naruto sitting on the sofa. His face had been bruised, and a kunai was gripped tightly in his hand.

Iruka was there in the apartment, and he had told her Naruto had gone off into the forest to see if he could find anything useful from the bodies there. Kumo ninja had attacked him, Iruka only just got there in time to save him, along with another.

This incident contributed to Hinata's questions too; why wouldn't Kumo leave them alone? What had Konoha done to deserve the Cloud's wrath?

Little did she know, the plotting of Kumo would soon be carried out. And the weapon… was a very familiar face… for Hinata.

xXx

And… End!

I know Naruto was attacked by Takigakure spies in the Anime when he was in the forest looking for items to steal from corpses, but Kumo fits in better with my story.

Alright, I think some of you are wondering what memories and powers Hinata has underneath the 'sea' of chakra. Here goes:

The glittering pebbles: Were Hinata's shining Byakugan

Yin-Yang symbol: Not telling!

Herbs and Flowers: Were Hinata's knowledge of medicinal herbs and remedies.

The scrolls and books: Hinata's vast knowledge of shinobi and their training.

Kunai and Shuriken: Symbolises that Hinata is already trained with those weapons, and the bloody kunai was the fact that she has already killed (remember hunting for the Mongeese?)

Spinal column with silver pulses: Hinata's Seal that attacked the nerves (the silver pulses) that Hiashi put on her.

As you know, Hinata has many secrets, and the ones like her secret herbal remedy work would be deeper down so Inoichi wouldn't be able to see it.

Until next time, Ingat! xxx


	13. Chapter 12

The Secret Prodigy

Hello, lovely people! OMG chapter 12… first Fanfic… and 12 chapters! And the story has just begun!

I have changed the name of my Fanfiction, but that doesn't matter. x

Alright, I said this in chapter 10, I am sorry if anyone doesn't like GaaHina, but I think I've made up my mind now. If this sounds harsh I'm sorry but… if you don't like it, don't read it. Literally. Skip over the GaaHina and get to the action! Enjoy! Xxx

**HumorMeh**: I'm glad you liked what I did. I didn't want Hiashi in this story too much anyway; he's just the starter I suppose. Lol fisher… No problem, I like replying to reviews now! Enjoy! x

**Himeko63**: Thanks so much, I think this is one of the nicest reviews I have ever read! Heres the next chapter for you, and again, thanks! Happy Reading! x

**Violet Uzumaki Namikaze**: Alright, the Kekki Genki stuff is for later… and the Chunnin Exams… are important (but I haven't exactly planned it out yet okay, I write each chapter when it comes to me…) and… Hinata will find out about her Kekki Genki from somewhere else I think. Enjoy! x

**Kazuha's Biggest Fan**: Voila, another chapter! Happy Reading! x

**BellaLuz64**: Thanks a lot! Itachi's slaying spree is in this story… somewhere. Yeah, a lot of reviewers said about Naruto and Hinata. Here is your update, Enjoy! x

**Anon-chan**: No problem! Neji's dad is dead :( No the weapon is in this chappie… It is sad the gang ain't together, but maybe there is a new gang… hint hint. New chapter, here you are! Enjoy! x

**Chris not Kiss**: Thanks! XD Do you read the manga instead? Happy Reading! x

**Naruto-Neko**: Thank you! There's loads of great stories out there, so to say mine is the best you've found in a while is amazing. Yeah… I'm a bit jumpy with the plot line, but at least it keeps the drama going and readers on there toes. I mean, it's good because I won't be predictable right? Yeah, whilst is a great word, it's easy to use and it's a good replacement for 'and then'. Hmmm… that's a good word you got there, I'll use it when I can. Heh… well… I haven't really read either GaaHina… lol. So… my imagination (and hopefully reviews) will help me write them. I don't have a problem with long reviews, just look at **Mi3staR**'s reviews! Cheers, I'm sure I will! Ja ne and ingat! (I already knew ja ne, but thank you for reminding me!) Happy Reading! x

**Mi3staR**: Honestly, I'm glad I killed him off. It gives me a bit more opportunity to let Hinata become closer to the Clan again… Even if its just for drama purposes! She's going to be strong… for everyone. I mean, the whole class picked on her for her 'weakness' so it'll come as a shocker when she pwn's people! :) Yeah, it was a bit OTT when I made Inoichi throw up, but I couldn't resist. I mean, what Hiashi did to Hinata was pretty sickening (even if its my own story!). Yeah, I know you wanted to see a bit of her past, I hope chapter 11 cleared it up for you! As for Naruto… Well, read on and see! Enjoy! x

**Failure-chan**: Calm down :) I'll try and get everything in this chapter (apart from the mysterious power!), I just get a lot of questions etc, its hard to fit it all in lol! Enjoy this chappie, and I'm not angry that you didn't review for the last one, R&R at your leisure! Happy Reading, and enjoy your holiday! x

**Eirdaru**: I'm glad I make you happy! It's great to write Fanfiction, I just enjoy it so much and it gives other people something to read (that's free aha!). I'm relieved I portrayed them right, their screen time is small so I didn't have a lot to work with (and the Hokage speaks a bit posh sometimes). There is a little titbit for you with Naruto (in brotherly affection etc) in this that I planned after reading yours and **Mi3staR**'s review. As for Sasuke, well, I'm sorry but he is going to be avenger-y _but _not like a total ass to Naruto (like Sasuke bashing etc). I'll see what I can do okay? Happy Reading! x

**Echo Uchiha**: Salamat! (Means thank you in Filipino… Even though I'm British) Happy Reading! x

**Mori3**: Oh… I have something in mind… it will be sweet! All I'm saying! Happy Reading! x

**Faux Princess**: Salamat for the R&R! I love Filipino language already (even though I only know the two words you taught me!). Anyway, I have fans? Readers yes, but fans? Wow… :) Enjoy this chappie! Ingat! x

**StarDustX**: Oh DEAR! I re-read the chapter and I died laughing! OMFG innuendo to the max! And this story is a T LMAFO! Enjoy! x

**Lil. Ramen. Lover.**: Hinata's father is just plain 'ole evil. He snapped because he had had enough of Hinata. Sorry if it's boring :( Enjoy this chappie! x

**4WingedBlackAngel876**: Thanks! Akane in this chappie :( No, I don't like it when Hinata gets hurt… but it would be boring if she her life was perfect. She's strong (or she's going to be), so I have to balance it out somehow :( Neji won't come until later, as in, when Hinata is in the Chunnin Exams. Although Hanabi is a great idea, I have something in mind for the Seal and Hanabi later on. Happy Reading! x

**Naruto9001believeit**: … I'm sorry you feel that way… but in this story… Naruto is more like a brother to Hinata since the two live together. Plus, people have said he would overshadow Hinata… And… I haven't even got up to Episode 40 of Shippuden; I still don't know what happens… I didn't know Naruto doesn't love Sakura… As for Gaara, he doesn't really go with anyone (not Matsuri, _I_ can't stand it) and writing yaoi is sure to offend someone. Plus, many other reviewers have requested that Naruto not be paired with Hinata, since the two are like siblings. The good thing about two characters that have never said anything to each other is that you have many possibilities to exploit, you can make a conversation go anywhere (within the characters personality). I'm sorry you won't enjoy my story anymore… You could just ignore the GaaHina parts and enjoy the drama/adventure… It's up to you. Either that or I hope you find another that captures your interest. xAliPiex X

**Wisdom-Jewel**: Err… minor mistake, sorry! It is the Cloud, thank you for pointing that out! It's edited now! Happy Reading! x

**HinataFan711**: Trust me, if I could write in Sweden, I would. But there's no electricity on our camp, and I'll be doing loads of activities. The Seal will be dealt with later… :) Thanks, we did the NDE (near death experiences) in RE (ages ago) so I got a couple of vague ideas from there really! Please, enjoy this chapter! x

**TwiliFay**: I like your name change :). There will be more on the Seal front… much later on. Oh… Anko and Ibiki would have gone _insane_ on Hiashi's ass. Find a torture story about Hiashi and get and read the anger out there lol. Hanabi won't be in until later either. Enjoy! X

OMG it seems like I get more and more reviews each chapter… Awesomeness! Happy Reading everyone!

xXx

Chapter 12

3 months had passed since the death of Hiashi. Currently, Hinata was on her way to school, with a lighter heart than three months ago.

For a week or two after her 'father' died, she had been a still lump of flesh; uneating, unseeing, unmoving. Naruto, the Hokage, Inoichi and even some ANBU had tried to get her to move, but mostly, her eyes had just slid over them, not registering their presence.

She had stayed in that coma-like state until Scar and Shadow had snuck into her apartment. Scar was a lot harder to ignore than any of her previous visitors, because his aura was so strong, so wild. Plus, Hinata couldn't ignore Shadow; the pup was like a true sister to her. After some words, Hinata had finally broken and she started _living_ again.

After she had gotten over herself, she had apologized to everyone who had tried to rescue her, and started taking care of herself (and Naruto) again. She had even got her herbal remedy business back up, and income was coming in fast because the autumn chills were setting in.

As for training, she had relied heavily on Mongeese to help her. School… was better now, but the material was too basic. As to why school was better, well, Akane had been excluded. Although Hinata was still glared at, now that Akane was gone the bullying went down tremendously. In fact, ever since Naruto had defended her from Akane's brother, no one had said a word to her. She remembered the memory with fondness and sickness…

_**Flashback- 2 months and 1 week ago…**_

_Hinata stood at the back gates, waiting for Naruto. Sakura nor Ino had been here today, and Kiba was getting picked up by his mum, so Hinata had shyly asked Naruto to walk home with her. Unfortunately, the knuckle headed boy had gotten into trouble (a prank involving a cat, some ninja wire and a water bomb) and had to stay behind._

_Hinata bit her lip and closed her eyes. The Mongeese had been teaching her how to 'sense' other people's chakra and how to move when blinded. It involved using every single one of your senses (and your chakra) to detect who or what was in your path. She was far from graceful when she walked blind (it was a startling contrast to when she walked with sight, her 'stealth walk' had improved so much, she looked like a graceful, deadly hunter… surreptitious and quiet… she kept it subtle at school though), but gradually, she stopped bumping into things as her senses became more sensitive. The reason they had taught her this was just in case she had to hide and live underground; it was just blackness down there and using her Byakugan all the time would be tiring._

_Hinata's eyes snapped open as a familiar aura came into her range. It was an aura she had dreaded… someone she had to put up with simply because she couldn't risk her cover. Too many people knew about her already._

"_Hey, you little witch! You got my sister expelled!" Akane's brother Kira shouted at her. The boy was thin and lanky, with a mop of black hair spiked up like a hedgehog. Hinata didn't know whether she smelt him or sensed him first; he always smelt of sweat and hair gel. His thin, grubby face was flushed in anger, and his black eyes were glinting dangerously._

"_B-but… she t-threw a k-kunai at m-me…" Hinata stuttered weakly, fighting off the temptation to summon Scar. Her summoning had improved vastly, even though she had been going at it for a week or so. She could only summon one at a time because it took up an unbelievable amount of chakra._

"_Who fucking cares? A ninja's life is full of pain!" he sneered at her. "But looking at you, you haven't had a hard day in your life… until I came." He grinned toothily, but then his glared again. Hinata gritted her teeth and tried not to let out her emotions. Not after what had happened at the hospital. She still had no idea what the energy arms were and the Hokage hadn't explained anything to her. Nevertheless, she was afraid of what they could do… they turned things into liquid with just one touch. It would only satisfy Hinata for a second to see Kira turned into jelly, but she would feel bad for a lot longer. Anyway, she couldn't really control the whips of chakra; they were just a product of really strong emotions or pain. Well, that was her theory anyway._

_Kira took a step towards her, and Hinata consciously took a step back. Her smell was getting better… and this boy smelt rank. Kira continued to step forward until she was backed up on the gate. She could smell the bully's breath; it stank of meat and egg. Whatever he had eaten, it hadn't left a pleasant smell behind._

"_I'll teach you not to mess with the Uchih-"the boys words were cut off as a blur of orange crashed into him. Hinata's mind was thrown into thought, the boy… was he going to say Uchiha? Sasuke's family were after her? But… Akane's family name was __Saitō. How… were they Uchiha? Maybe it was a mix-up of words._

_Her savior was Naruto. Her senses had been thrown off by Kira's scent__ and aura, so she hadn't noticed him coming._

"_If you EVER touch my imouto-chan ever again… I'll kill you! You'd better believe it!" Naruto threatened. Hinata could feel his aura spiking… he was getting angry. Scratch that, he already was. Hinata felt a warm feeling blossom in her stomach; but it wasn't butterflies like she had experienced before. Naruto, calling her his little sister… Like family. It meant more to the bluenette than she could say. She had found out recently that the feelings she had felt for Naruto were actually a crush, because she had asked the Mongeese in her confusion. But now… those feelings had vanished, vaporized… changed. She loved Naruto… as a brother. And she felt more joy knowing that then knowing she had a crush on him… and it would save her the pain of seeing him go after Sakura._

"_N-Naruto… Onii-kun… please, c-calm down… for me." Hinata placed her hand gently on __her angry 'brothers' shoulder. The muscles were tensed, and like hers they were hard from exercise, although Naruto's exercise was probably running from the teachers. Naruto loosened his grip on the older boy's collar (Naruto had ended sitting onto top of Kira, nearly strangling him), and Kira took the opportunity to thrash._

_Naruto would lose the fight, Kira was bigger than him. Unconsciously, Hinata's finger charged with chakra and she jabbed instinctually at Kira's carotid artery. Hinata felt the flow of blood stop and start up again, and Kira fell limp, unconscious. _

"_Hinata-chan… he's not…?" Naruto breathed, looking a little bit scared._

_Quickly, Hinata checked his pulse. It was slow and steady. She breathed in relief, he was just knocked out. "He's f-fine Naruto-kun… lets g-go h-home." Just to check if she truly felt only sisterly feelings for him, she grabbed his hand. There were no butterflies… just warmth. The warmth of having a loving brother._

_**End Flashback**_

The weekly beatings stopped too, Hinata no longer needed to check the alleys for anyone when she walked home. She hadn't seen Neji, Akane or Kira for three months, which was a great relief.

Things were going well on the friendship front too. Tenten and Lee stuck by her, and the three hung out together every break and lunch time. As for Choji and Shikamaru, their life had gotten easier too now that Akane wasn't starting trouble about Choji's weight. Soon, Hinata vowed she would gather the courage to approach the pair and befriend them once more. She didn't trust them enough yet not to leave her, as sad as it was. It had been a leap of faith befriending Lee and Tenten, and it would take even more faith to befriend the people that had deserted her once more. Although Choji and Shikamaru weren't really the ones who had left her, they were still apart of the group who shattered her trust in people.

She approached the front gate of the school to see Lee and Tenten there, as always.

"Hello… T-Tenten-chan, Lee-kun." Hinata greeted, somewhat smoothly. Hinata had finally gotten round to requesting lessons for her stutter, and she and Flower (the nervous Mongoose) had been reading aloud to each other to improve their speech. It hadn't only helped in her stutter, but they were reading informative scrolls so Hinata learnt something too.

"Bluey-chan!" Tenten greeted back. Not long ago, Tenten randomly called her 'Bluey-chan' when they were eating lunch, and the name just stuck, not that Hinata was bothered about it… Nicknames were a sign of affection, weren't they?

"Good morning Hinata-chan! It's a youthfully beautiful day today, is it not?" Lee beamed, teeth flashing in the indeed bright sunlight.

"Yes Lee-k-kun…" Hinata agreed, breathing in deeply. Her nose caught the smell of a floral perfume… Ino was here today. She saw the blonde stride across the playground.

"C'mon Bluey, its time for class." Hinata hadn't realised she had been staring at Ino… because Sakura wasn't by her side. Ino looked… like she was having a bad morning… a really bad morning.

As Hinata walked to class, she wondered why Ino was so mad... and why she wasn't with Sakura. Sure, the two were frighteningly competitive in class (especially when they did flower arranging… thank Kami that two weeks were over), but they always stuck together… Had something changed that?

Lee and Tenten recognize their small friends 'thinking' face, so they chatted quietly amongst themselves. It unnerved the two how thoughtful and quiet Hinata could be sometimes… It was like an older person was trapped in a younger body. She was extremely mature for her age.

Hinata was at the door of her class before she knew it. Tenten snapped a finger in front of her, breaking her out of her thoughts with a jump. The older girl giggled at the shocked expression.

"S-sorry… I'll see you t-two at break." Hinata apologized, going red. She felt guilty; she had a habit of thinking too much and not talking enough.

"Sure, Bluey-chan! See ya!" Tenten cheerfully said goodbye, and Lee made a quick bow before the two went off. She smiled at their backs, and entered her own classroom.

The first thing she saw was Ino and Sakura together… by Sasuke's desk. The two didn't really look friendly towards each other… in fact, if looks could kill, they would both be bloody smears on the ground from the glares they gave each other.

The two argued heatedly about who got to sit next to Sasuke today. Hinata was very aware about how the females of her class were _very_ attracted to the black haired boy… so infatuated it bordered on obsession. It didn't help that he was extremely polite to all the girls' offers and declarations of 'love', even though he was only turning them all down. For some reason, all of her classmates went back for more; a word from him, even one of rejection, was worth all the hassle. Hinata also knew about the bubbling rivalry between Sakura and Ino for Sasuke's attentions... they usually kept it pretty cool, but today… competition finally got to them both. The cracks in their relationship made by classroom rivalry had split into a huge fissure, Sasuke probably being the final push of the wedge.

Whilst the female population fought for Sasuke's attention, the males of her class looked on in pain. The boys' crushes'… were all going after one guy. Naturally, it made all the boys in the class bond with each other over 'their' girls going after Sasuke, but Sasuke himself was always the outsider… Never once had another boy come up to him in the offer of friendship… apart from Naruto. The two had ended up sparring, with Sasuke winning. And Sasuke seemed to prefer it that way.

She got herself sat down next to Shino and continued to observe the 'cat fight' that had broken out between the girls at the front with little interest. Not one of them seemed to remember they had Taijutsu training… out of the gym a fight was like a scrap; no form, no style, just free fight. Get a hit in where you can. It wasn't Hinata's style, she had no brawn to grapple and wrestle; she was all about dodging and striking smoothly at vulnerable spots. And she couldn't go as low as to slap someone in a proper fight… that move was for drama. Anyway, she preferred not to fight… it could get ugly quickly.

For the opposition.

Sparring was fine, she averaged out her scores… she was supposed to be a 'legendary' Hyuga after all. But when she did decide to lose, she observed her classmates fighting styles for further use… she never knew when one of them could actually turn on her… and try to kill her.

Iruka walked in and used his 'Massive Head no Jutsu' to get attention. It worked and when everyone was settled, the lesson begun.

It was on Ninjutsu again, they were still on the Clone Technique. It had been boring because she could have easily made three Clones and then moved on to another Jutsu, but because everyone was struggling, she had to tone down her abilities to fit in. Sasuke, Ino and Sakura had been the first ones to master the Clone Technique. That was a month ago. The rest of the class were still struggling to finish off their Clones; get hair right, eyebrows straight… in some cases… even the right gender.

As for Naruto… his was still a smoking pile of uselessness on the floor. Hinata had shyly approached him and said he was putting far too much chakra into it, but no matter how hard Naruto tried, he couldn't control his chakra. Hinata had observed him trying to make a Clone, and basically, sizing down his massive chakra to make a Clone… well… it was like filling a shot glass with a hose pipe.

Iruka called for the class to line up, and somehow Hinata had ended up next to Sasuke. The girls of the class glared at her so furiously… one especially annoyed girl stepped forth and headed in her direction.

An angry buzzing sound filled the air, coming from Shino (who was on her other side). Hinata's senses suddenly picked up the 'million auras' becoming stronger. The sound was tremendous, like a swarm of angry bees had invaded the room. The sound hadn't only stopped the girl in her tracks, but made her run back to her friends in fear. The rest of the class were looking around trying to find the source of the buzzing. Only Naruto, Kiba and Sasuke shot looks at Shino… everyone else was clueless.

Hinata wondered why… the girl had obviously been going for a confrontation, so why had Shino interfered? She had said nothing to him; apart from a shy hello and goodbye… basically, she acknowledged his presence. She never got a verbal answer in return, only a head inclination in her direction. In fact, Hinata had never heard Shino speak in all the time she had known him. Could he speak at all?  
>Her curiosity got the better of her, and she turned to Shino. She summoned the courage and finally, said more than pleasantries to him. Well, she whispered it, but still, she said <em>something<em>. "S-Shino-san? Why did y-you… do that?"

There was a long pause before he answered back, so long that Hinata doubted he really could speak. "You don't deserve to be hassled over a mere coincidence. No one does." He had a smooth, low voice, not at all nasal which is what Hinata guiltily assumed his voice would be like.

"T-thank you…" She got only a nod in response. Hinata had a load more questions… she never saw him at break (even though she was in the trees with Lee and Tenten), and… the question that bugged her the most* was the 'million auras' he had… and now the buzzing. Did he have… bees with him? Was he a secret bee keeper?

Once again, her curiosity won over. "Shino-s-san? Would y-you… like to hang around with me and s-some others at break?" Wait… those weren't the words she was going to say! Her mouth had betrayed her, all she wanted to know how he made the sound. But… she was so curious as to who the boy was, she had asked to get close to him instead.

The mysterious boy turned to her, but Hinata couldn't read his eyes through his glasses. "How does… me being with you benefit you? I have little to offer in conversation."

Hinata was stunned, Shino was asking for her motive! She wanted to be his friend… and find out about him. Pure, childlike curiosity… plus, he had defended her. "B-but… just because you don't say a lot doesn't mean you don't have anything going for you. W-what you do say… even though it's not a lot… has a lot of thought behind it." Hinata took a breath. "I would rather have a f-friend who says little and tells the truth or shares wisdom, than a friend who talks a lot about foolishness and lies."

"I see… because I say little, I'm less likely to lie. But… how do you know that what I have said is not a very well thought out lie?" Hinata was finding it a little hard to keep up with him, he was so intelligent. She knew Shikamaru didn't show it or speak like it, but he was a genius. Shino on the other hand, showed his brains in his words… his thought process was complicated. The boy thought too much, like her.

"I would have to t-trust you not to lie… by what you've said earlier… you seem like a good person Shino-san. Why wouldn't I want to be friends with you?" Hinata asked quietly. He didn't answer, but something black crawled across his face. A single bug scuttled up his cheek and into his bushy hair.

Hinata smiled shyly at the boy… one of her questions was answered. He kept bugs… in his body. The Hyuga clan had been talking about another Clan that kept insects in their bodies… the Kikaichu? No… that was the name of the bugs… Aburame! Shino's name was Aburame… why didn't she see it sooner? The 'million auras' suddenly made sense…. They were small, simple… insects. "And… that i-is supposed to stop me being your friend?" Hinata could read his body a little… Byakugan users were famed for their insight after all. He was confused, she could tell by the tiny crease in his brow and the way his head was slightly tilted to one side.

"Okay." Shino put up his barriers again, Hinata could see not feel any emotions coming from him, but now that she knew the insects were there, she felt them so much more clearly.

Hinata gave him another smile, bigger this time. _S-see… it's not so hard to make friends! _

A poof of smoke startled Hinata out of her daydream, and when the smoke cleared two Shino's stood side by side next to each other. From what Hinata could see, they were both identical.

"Well done Shino-kun, it seems talking to Hinata-chan hasn't made you sloppy." Iruka commented, whist some of the class started muttering to themselves.

"It can talk?" a guy snickered to his friend. Hinata was going to turn and glare… but that would have given her away. No… she was going to do something a little more interesting.

She placed her hands behind her back and made a single sign. Her chakra rose up to the occasion, and then she let it leak out of her body. Suddenly, a gigantic, hairy spider appeared right in front of the boy who had laughed at Shino.

The boy fell to the floor, screaming and crying… for his mommy. So did a couple of other kids. Hinata decided that was enough punishment, and stopped the flow of chakra. The spider illusion flickered and then disappeared, leaving silence in its wake.

She wrapped her arms around her body, giving out the appearance of fear. She had already made her facial expression shocked… it came naturally, the Genjutsu had actually worked! She couldn't believe she did it off the mere memory of Iruka doing it!

"Whoever did that… if I catch you… you will be kicked out of ninja school. We _never _use Jutsu on a fellow Konoha resident unless it's under sparring conditions. Do I make myself clear?" Iruka's angry voice rang threateningly through the silence. Everyone nodded, even Sasuke, who looked just as scared as everyone else.

Shino of course, had no expression, but Hinata got the feeling he was looking at her.

After Iruka had calmed down, the lesson continued. Hinata was next, and she made a Clone, but the hair was wrong on purpose. Iruka gave her a good comment anyway, and Sasuke performed excellently, as usual.

Break time came quickly, and Shino waited for her by the door as she went to collect her bag. Out the corner of her eye, she saw Choji being pushed by two boys when Shikamaru wasn't looking. Guilt coursed through her… she wasn't the only one with problems… Could she… do it again? Could she trust them enough? It would ease her conscience to see them happy… and it would make the two happy because no one would bully them anymore, since they hung around in a group.

Making up her mind, she held up a finger to Shino, signalling for him to wait for a moment. Shino dug his hands into his pockets and leant on the door. Hinata took that as an okay, so she slowly made her way over to the two.

"S-Shikamaru-san, Choji-san?" Hinata got their attention quickly. Hinata noticed how Choji stiffened when she said his name. He was nervous of other people… Hinata clenched and unclenched her fists in anger, how could people be so cruel.

Shikamaru turned round and gave a small smile to her, but… there was dullness in his eyes. It seemed that protecting Choji constantly had been wearing down his spirits. "Hinata-chan. I haven't spoken to you in a while. How's… everything?" A small twinkle shone in Shikamaru's eyes; Hinata knew the expression well. He was curious about something.

"Good… t-thank you." Hinata poked her fingers together and looked down. "I-I was wondering… would you like to come and… hang around with Shino-san, Lee-kun and Tenten-chan this break?"

"Lee-san and Tenten-san? Aren't they seniors?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes… I've been friends with them for a while… T-they are very nice. We go to a clearing a-at break times."

"So that's why I haven't seen you around. What do you think Choji-kun?" Shikamaru turned to his best friend, who had slightly relaxed.

"I'm fine with whatever Shika-kun… I like Hinata-chan, and whoever she's friends with, I'm okay with. I just wanna get into those crisps… they've been talking to me Shika, _talking!_" Hinata giggled as Choji's eyes burst into comical flames. It was a Genjutsu, but it seemed to be automatic… how strange. Hinata was relieved that his passion for food was still there, it meant she still knew something about him. If he wasn't training to become a ninja, she swore he would grow up to be a great chef.

"Alright then. It's not too far is it…?" Shikamaru sighed. Hinata laughed a little, Shikamaru hadn't changed either, still as lazy as the day she met him. And probably just as intelligent, maybe even more so.

"No…" she flashed a small grin to the laid back boy; he looked like he needed a break.

"Good, 'cuz it's so tiresome to walk long distances. Why do I want to become a shinobi… its so much hard work." Shikamaru mumbled to himself.

Shino introduced himself politely yet… stoically to both boys. Choji had been a bit scared, but Shikamaru had just appraised him with dark, intelligent eyes.

They four set off, Hinata leading. The bluenette got the feeling she was going to be questioned very soon, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. At the clearing, Shikamaru collapsed onto the grass with a sigh, Choji had opened his second packet of crisps (where did he keep all those?) and Shino had looked over in the direction of the fallen log.

"Bluey-chan! You've brought friends? Awesome!" Tenten greeted, Lee close behind. The two had just come into the clearing themselves.

"Y-yes. Tenten-chan, Lee-kun, this is Shino-san, Shikamaru-kun and Choji-kun. I hope you don't mind me bringing them." Hinata introduced them all. Choji had kindly offered a crisp (beef of course) to Tenten and Lee, Shikamaru had waved lazily in greeting and Shino had adjusted his glasses.

"The more the youthfuller!" Lee shouted happily. _K-Kami-sama he's loud sometimes… and is th-that even a word?_

Hinata saw Shikamaru and Choji look at her, and she giggled. "He's… lively." She explained.

"I see…" Shino commented, looking at the bowl-cut senior do some pushups… on his thumbs. It seemed to be a favourite workout of his.

"So… Bluey-chan, do you wanna tell me a bit more about your new friends?" Tenten asked, whipping out a kunai knife. Immediately, a angry buzzing filled the air, Shikamaru's shadow started _moving _and Choji's arms got a little bigger.

"No! She's a weapons mistress!" Hinata shouted frantically, trying to calm her friends down. They must have taken the knife the wrong way.

"Whoa guys, I like your fighting spirit and all, but I'm not gonna hurt Bluey!" Tenten threw the kunai with deadly accuracy into the tree.

"Sorry Tenten-san… we just saw the knife… and we still remember what happened to Hinata-chan in the gym." Hinata shuddered, Akane…

"No problem, it's what friends do!" Tenten smiled and the air was calm again. "Hina-chan, back to my question."

"Well… Shino-san like's insects… he is very wise and quiet. I think h-he has a protective streak t-too." Hinata explained.

"Correct." Shino said, inspecting the log even more.

"Shikamaru-kun, he's very laid-back… he doesn't like exercise… or anything physical. He's very, very smart, but he doesn't show it. He likes shogi and watching clouds." Shikamaru gave a grunt before lying back down on the floor to watch clouds. The forest clearing had a clear view of the sky.

"He's like the opposite of Lee-kun, isn't he?" Tenten giggled, looking back at Lee who had worked up a shiny sheen of sweat, and then at Shikamaru who looked deeply asleep.

"Yes…" Hinata agreed. It would balance out the group if Shikamaru and the rest stayed. "As for Choji-kun, he is the one of the nicest people you will ever meet, as long as you don't steal his food." Hinata giggled at the chomping boy.

"Alright! Hinata-chan, do you want to begin training then?" Tenten asked, getting out another kunai. It landed right next to the first, and Choji clapped politely.

"Thanks Choji… is it alright if I call you kun? San is so… boring." When Choji nodded, Tenten gave him a big smile and Lee somehow gave his a thumb up, he was now on a single thumb.

"Training Hinata-chan?" Shikamaru inquired, raising his torso so he could see her.

"Y-yes…" Hinata replied shyly.

"C'mon then Hina-chan, what do you want to do today?" Training options with Lee and Tenten consisted of sparring, weaponry or chakra control. Hinata was getting to near perfect with her weapons (but she didn't show it) and her chakra control was very impressive too. Her reserves needed work on, but her Taijutsu needed even more work. She had got some of the new style moves down, but she still needed help. It was so hard, inventing your own style.

"Sparring."

"Okay!" Tenten got into her stance, it was basic Academy style. Her Taijutsu was fine, but she concentrated on weapons more than anything else.

Hinata was aware that she had an audience when she slipped into her own stance, but she couldn't let it distract her too much. Neither could she show too much.

Tenten rushed in first, going for a kick to the hip. Hinata quickly blocked it and then dug her knuckle into one of the pressure points of her foot. Tenten's foot wobbled and then she fell over, groaning.

"Hina-chaaan! I don't like it when you do that!" Tenten whined, rubbing her foot. Hinata apologised, she might have jabbed a little harder than necessary.

Tenten got into her stance again, and Hinata told herself to dodge, not attack. When Tenten rushed in, Hinata merely stepped out of the way. The sparring lesson quickly became a dance of limbs, Tenten striking out to the small figure of Hinata, only for Hinata to move so she hit nothing but thin air.

As time went on, Hinata increased the weight of her Gravity Seal, so she would get tired. Tenten ended the match with a strike that actually hit Hinata, because her Seal was so heavy she couldn't move out the way. The hit itself didn't hurt, but her lungs and muscles burned. She put herself out of pain by adjusting her Seal once more.

"Y-your dodging is getting way better Hinata-chan… you just need a bit more stamina. I-I can't say much, I'm beat!" Tenten huffed, sitting on the floor. Hinata copied with a loud sigh.

"I didn't know you could fight like that Hinata-chan." Shikamaru commented. "You don't do that in lessons."

"W-well Shikamaru-kun… I get nervous in l-lessons… but out here… I feel a little freer." Hinata replied, hoping to the Kami's that she hadn't shown too much. Sure, Shikamaru knew a little bit about her and probably Shino too, but Choji hadn't. She had to stop showing herself… but she wanted to train so badly. And she couldn't train acting all weak.

"Fair enough I suppose." Shikamaru yawned before settling his head back down. Shino then walked over, with something purple settled on his index finger.

"I like this place." Shino said, bringing up his finger to his eye level. Hinata was correct in thinking it was an insect.

"Me too… good cloud watching place." Shikamaru agreed.

"Me three… no one else around. Just us and some crisps…" Choji said around his mouthful of crisps.

"I l-like this place because my friends are here." Hinata chipped in, and she got varying smiles from everyone, from Lee's blinding beam to Shino's slight curve of the lips.

For the rest of break, the group chatted casually to one another, getting to know each other. For Hinata, it was one of the best breaks she had ever had; she belonged to a big group again. Yes, it was shallow; to want to belong somewhere in a clique, but it gave her security. And it was great to see everyone so happy.

Shino, Choji, Shikamaru and Hinata all walked in together next lesson, and Choji and Shikamaru followed Shino and Hinata to the back. They seated themselves on the desk next to Hinata's and proceeded to talk in hushed tones. She and Shino just sat in comfortable silence, waiting for Iruka to show up.

Hinata could see in her peripheral vision that Shino was fidgety. He was moving slightly, and his muscles were unusually tense. If that were anyone else, Hinata wouldn't notice because people sat like that and moved a lot all the time, but Shino was always very still. Something was bothering him.

"S-Shino-san? Are you okay?" Hinata asked, trying to read his body language to gauge what he was feeling.

"Why do you hold back Hinata-san? I know you are hiding something from everyone." Shino suddenly asked quietly.

Hinata's blood turned to ice and she struggled to swallow. "Of course, you don't have to tell me… you can choose not to answer if you wish." Shino said again, and he started to turn back to the front.

"I-I… I try to fit in… If I show what I can do… I'll be outcast… more than I already am." Hinata explained. It wasn't the full reason, but it was part of it. "H-have you noticed that the s-strongest prodigy's are p-pretty much friendless?"

"I understand… but… you don't have to guard yourself around your friends." Shino coughed a little. "Like I do."

"Okay Shino-ku-san..." she felt embarrassed, she got the suffix wrong… but he considered her a friend didn't he?

"Call me as you like, we are… friends." The word 'friends' rolled off Shino's tongue in a unfamiliar way. Iruka walked in and claimed attention, effectively ending the conversation, much to Hinata's relief.

The lesson was on English, reading and writing skills. Hinata had made sure Naruto could read and write a little, so he wasn't struggling in school. Still… he was a little loud throughout the lesson.

At the end, everyone packed up, and Iruka announced it was a half day today, they could all go home. Everyone cheered (apart from Shino) and packed up their things in a hurry.

Hinata said her goodbyes to Shino, Shikamaru and Choji before going the back way through the alleys. She heard footsteps behind her and turned round. It was Akane's friend.

Hinata tensed up, but continued walking. Little did she know, the true danger was ahead.

Walking a little faster, she concentrated on Akane's friends' aura until she could barely feel it. But that meant she stumbled right into another's aura. The real thing.

Akane.

"How's academy life Hinata-_chan_?" Akane greeted smoothly, producing a kunai from her pocket. "How's life without me?" Akane sneered at her. "Has it been easy? Your whole _life _has been easy, because you are a part of that wretched Clan. If it weren't for your eyes, you would be the weakest, most stuck up bunch of clowns ever." Hinata narrowed her eyes, her mother… she had been part of the Clan. The rest she couldn't give a fig about… but her mother.

"You know what? I hate kids like you! It makes my job easier though, knowing I took out a little snob as well as completing my mission." Akane smirked and fiddled with the kunai.

"M-mission?" Hinata stuttered, trying to see what she meant. Why would they want h… her eyes.

The Cloud.

They just wouldn't give up.

"But you are Konoha, you don't come from Cloud." Hinata said, and Akane looked surprised for a moment.

"So your not as stupid as I thought you were." She gained her cocky expression again. "Wrong though. I do come from Cloud." Akane giggled, an insane light coming into her eyes. "My first mission? Assassinate the weakest Byakugan user, and take their eyes."

Suddenly, Akane dashed forward, kunai in line with her heart. Hinata gained her senses and dodged sideways. She didn't know there had been someone standing behind her.

Metal met flesh, and crimson blood spurted from the wounds. Wounds, because Akane wasn't the only one holding a kunai.

Akane's friend was the one behind her. Akane's best friend was the one with her kunai stuck into Akane's stomach.

"R-Rika-chan? W-why?" Akane coughed as blood poured from her wound. Suddenly, her stomach wasn't the only thing dyed red. Her black eyes… had transformed into bright red orbs.

The Sharingan.

"I… saved you from y-yourself… Akane… don't hurt her… s-she hasn't done anything… Akane…" a chocked gargle and Rika fell to the floor, dead from the kunai in her heart that had been placed there by her best friend.

"RIKAA!" Akane screamed, holding her hand to the kunai still embedded in her stomach. "NOOOO!" tears slid down the agonized face of Akane, from pain, guilt and grief. "RIKAAAAA!" Akane screwed her eyes shut, and when they opened… a different pattern decorated her red eyes.

One of legend. One Hinata wasn't even sure existed. Something she had heard being whispered around the Hyuga house.

The glassy, tear-filled eyes of the Mangekyou Sharingan met hers.

Suddenly, the world swirled around her, and everything turned crimson. Hinata blacked out for a second. When she awoke, she was tied to a crucifix, Akane staring at her with hatred in her patterned scarlet eyes.

xXx

Alright! I am a ninja! I got this chapter done just an hour before I'm travelling to Sweden! Woot! I know loads of you will have questions, but they won't be answered until I'm back in two weeks!

Hope you enjoyed and Ingat! xxx


	14. Chapter 13

The Secret Prodigy

Well hello everyone! You've all been blowing up my computer with

reviews, I'm so happy! Sweden was great, I got to meet Japanese people at the Jamboree and I love them, they are so polite! I got a Japanese necker from them, and I got to try out my minimal Japanese skills on them!

I am so sorry that I haven't updated, I got back on Sunday afternoon and it took me quite a while to write this because I had people to see etc.

**IMPORTANT INFORMATION! **

**I AM CARRYING ON SCOUTS AND THE NEXT JAMBOURE IS IN… JAPAN. YEAH, JAPAN. IN FOUR YEARS TIME. I. GO. TO. JAPAN! **

Okay… enough of that. But Kami-sama I am SO happy… I just hope the tsunami hasn't done too much damage… and hopefully I'll be able to fund-raise enough to go :) x

**An Explanation!**

Anyway, I know some of you are confused about the last chapter. Basically, Akane got expelled from school for throwing the kunai at Hinata in gym. Hinata meets Akane in the alley after school; Akane attacks her with a kunai. Hinata dodges but Rika (Akane's best friend) is behind Hinata with a kunai. Rika was going to defend Hinata. Akane stabs Rika in the heart accidently (killing her) and Rika stabs Akane with her kunai in the stomach. Because Akane is near death (from the stab wound to her stomach) her Sharingan activates, and because she just killed her best friend (and felt the pain of doing so) she gains Mangekyou Sharingan.

As for Akane being a Cloud and how he is an Uchiha etc, that will be explained this chappie!

Onto reviews!

**Nafsi-chan**: Thanks so much, I got a warm fuzzy feeling when reading this! I'm happy you like GaaHina, and your grammar is perfectly fine. I doubt I will put Naruto with Sakura, but I don't know who to put him with since Hinata's kinda taken. I do want him to have someone though. Okay, questions. Hinata and her Seal will be dealt with later (much later if I get that far with this story) promise. Erm… writing chappie by chappie, and I've still got some more stuff to put in before I make Hinata graduate from Ninja Academy. As for her powers, they will be revealed around the Chunnin Exams (if I get that far). Yeah, I read yours when I returned; I had a brilliant time thanks! Volia, update! Happy Reading! x

**ShyWolf**: :) Evil genius… mwahahaha! Kinda the theme for this story, Hinata can't always have something good happen to her. Its all about balance I suppose. Happy Reading! x

**ChocoRoseLuv**: THANK YOU! I did! Happy Reading! x

**Me-Want-Toast-123**: Read explanation, hopefully it will clear things up for you! Happy Reading! x

**Echo Uchiha**: Lol. Enjoy this chappie. X

**Msdgirl**: Read explanation, no genjutsu or nothing, sorry about confusing you! Happy Reading! x

**Lil. Ramen. Lover.**: You'll see :) I'm sorry about the pairing, but Shika and Hinata will be FF (friends forever) if that makes you a little happier. Enjoy! x

**Yuki25**: Calm, all will be revealed in this chapter! Honestly, I don't know myself. I think its because she is naturally shy, and it keeps readers on their toes because you all are waiting for her revelation I suppose. Plus, she had to hide her talents from her family because Hyuga aren't allowed to learn anything other than their own techniques and I suppose Hinata still fears that rule so she pretends to be a weak Hyuga, if you get me. Plus, she has special gifts like her Byakugan, if she revealed them wouldn't she get hunted down like the Mangekyou did by Danzo? Thanks, hope you enjoy! Happy Reading! x

**Mi3staR**: Yeah, well a lot of reviewers have questions like yours lol. I'm happy you like being famous :) Sweden was beautiful and amazing, you should go! *gives Swedish… and Japanese flag* Didn't hear about the bombing in Norway, but I did meet some Norway people. Yeah, Ino and Sakura fights are annoying… but strangely funny sometimes. Erm… I did write Shino lolz so… I was kinda asking my own character why she was hiding herself. It's strange now that I think about it. Er… I'm glad you liked the Naruto defending bit; please please PLEASE don't get angry that this is a GaaHina (if I can pull it off). More NaruHina sibling titbits will come up (I think). My explanation should clear things up for you, Akane is not dead… yet. Yeah I suppose it is a little silly to send a 6 year old to kill someone, but its quite sneaky. I mean, you wouldn't expect a 6 year old to have any secret undercover mission (unless they were called Itachi Uchiha). We travelled on the boat at night but even though I was up on deck I didn't see anything in the sky lol! Xx Happy Reading! x

**Kale FTW**: Isn't kale that green vegetable? Lol, yeah, I didn't even know what a Mongoose was until this story :) but I love them now. I think Rikki Tikki Tavi is by Rudyard Kipling? Well, I haven't watched it or read it but I think I might. I liked the pic of that Mongoose, it was so cute :) Happy Reading! x

**Chris not Kiss**: Really? Who was your friend? Sorry for being nosy… I'm just curious :) I haven't got through the Anime yet, nor have I watched a single movie but oh well! Sweden was brilliant thanks! Happy Reading! x

**Anon chan**: Yeah, I'm glad I added those three into the mix, I just hope I wrote Shino okay 'cuz he doesn't really say much lol. Uchiha business explained here! Enjoy! X

**Himeko63**: Thank you for the compliments, they make me feel a little more confident about this story. Whoa, questions! Alright, not answering the first one… or the second! Pairings is a yes… ShikaTem etc. Well… I would need a whole lot of creativity to make my own Naruto timeline up… but I don't think I could do it. There will be changes though, if I get far with this story. Alright, again, thanks for your kind words they make my day! Happy Reading! x

**Failure-chan**: Lol, I can't really reply to those questions :) You'll find out! As for pairings… ShikaTem is a likely pairing… but I don't think NaruSaku will be… I don't know really! Anyway, enjoy! x

**Bobo**: Yeah, this had a different name! I changed it! Uchiha explained, promise! Thanks and enjoy! X

**Mori3**: Questions, questions! All will become clear lol! I had a fab time thanks! Update here, enjoy! X

**StarDustX**: Lmao! Yeah, same! Read on and see! Happy Reading! x

**Naruto9001Believeit**: Did you know I'm thinking of writing another story with that story line-ish, involving Hinata? Anyway, that won't be until this has finished… or maybe not at all. If you are reading this I appreciate you looking over the pairings and reading my story anyway. Happy Reading! x

**Wisdom-jewel**: Erm… I don't know? If it was the Shino talk, no, I meant she wanted to fit in, as in she wanted to blend in with the rest of the class. Apart from that, I have no idea. Anyway, enjoy! X

**TwiliFay**: No probs! Lmao, calm down! X Hope you like this chappie, sorry I can't answer your questions now! Enjoy! X

**Naruto-Neko **: Yeah, I wanted to put NaruHina shippers out of their misery. Too bad Rika's defence didn't work. Lol, I'm not sure how I should write Sasuke in mine either, but oh well. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. It's quite hard to get Shino right, he's so damn quiet! I'm glad you think I got him right! You have no idea how nervous I am about writing GaaHina, I pray to my muse that I will get it right! Anyway, Happy Reading! Ja nee! x

**Faux Princess**: I'm doing my job if you hate Akane, you were supposed to after all. Yeah, I'm not gonna have Hinata change or anything like that, y'know? Lol… 5 times… No, I was trying to find a strong Hinata centric story myself; I couldn't so I wrote one instead lol! Agreed, Hinata is awesome! Well… I told my friend at school about this story and she blabbed to everyone so I changed it's name 'cuz… I like this to be my thing, no one else I know (apart from my family because… well I kinda tell them everything and word travels fast in my family for some reason) to share it with. I can't really explain it! Anyway, I thought the name sounded better too so yeah! Salamat for reviewing, and I hope you enjoy! Until the next review, ingat! X

**Hinatafan711**: Yeah, I know. I'm evil lol! But hey, cliffies get readers back :) Happy Reading! x

Chapter 13

_Previously…_

"_RIKAA!" Akane screamed, holding her hand to the kunai still embedded in her stomach. "NOOOO!" tears slid down the agonized face of Akane, from pain, guilt and grief. "RIKAAAAA!" Akane screwed her eyes shut, and when they opened… a different pattern decorated her red eyes._

_One of legend. One Hinata wasn't even sure existed. Something she had heard being whispered around the Hyuga house._

_The glassy, tear-filled eyes of the Mangekyou Sharingan met hers. _

_Suddenly, the world swirled around her, and everything turned crimson. Hinata blacked out for a second. When she awoke, she was tied to a crucifix, Akane staring at her with hatred in the patterned scarlet eyes._

**Now…**

Fear of the unknown coursed through Hinata's body. Yes… it was an illusion; the real world didn't go on forever and ever in crimson smoke and hateful eyes. But she didn't even feel like she was on the real planet, as much as the scared blue head told herself so.

Ink black chains constricted painfully across Hinata's small body, squeezing her frame to the crucifix even further. How she wished she could melt into the black wood right now.

But it wasn't the crucifix, the chains or even the landscape that Hinata was frightened about right now. It was the face of the illusionist herself that sparked the flame of fear in Hinata's heart.

Akane was the only thing that wasn't in black and red. Her purple hair flew around her like the wind was whipping through it, but not even a breeze could be felt on Hinata's skin. A breeze would have comforted her in a small way; it might've reminded Hinata that she was still on the real Earth. Akane's skin was pale, ever more so because the red background highlighted her skin. But, it wasn't the delicate white of a porcelain doll; it was more like the icy white of a spectral ghost. Akane's eyes were sunken slightly, like she hadn't slept in days. But the eyes themselves flashed and glinted with dangerous life and _power_. Power that she was at the mercy of. The power of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

"You killed her." Akane stated dully, but her body contrasted to her voice. Her body was rigid; knuckles frighteningly white, jaw clenched hard and eyes narrowed dangerously. It gave away all her emotions, but that didn't matter. Akane was in control right now; she could show her weaknesses and not be in danger. There was nothing Hinata could do to exploit them.

Suddenly, black needles formed and loomed directly over each of Hinata's pressure points. Before the blue head could prepare herself, the needles struck simultaneously. Her world exploded in pain, and then there was nothing.

Not for long though.

Hinata found herself tied to the crucifix once more, with the memory of just dying.

She had to be honest; dying hadn't been that bad at all. Yes… there had been pain. But it was only for a moment. What she was scared of… was the fact that she was alive and breathing right now. She had a feeling… this was the illusions punishment.

Die… live… and die again. Over and over, until the victim went insane with pain.

And it did happen like that. Akane would repeat, over and over 'you killed her', and then Hinata would die. Some ways were more painful than others, but she always died. And then she came back for another round.

By her 67th death, Hinata felt herself losing control of her own mind. She had been stabbed, shot, strangled, decapitated, poured in acid, hung and poisoned, and it had been only two hours inside the illusion. She was starting to break from the pain, the beatings she had received daily from Hiashi hadn't hurt this much. But she was out of ideas; there was nothing she could do.

All the rumours she had heard about the Mangekyou said one thing.

Nothing could break it. Not even the Byakugan, which was said to be what the Sharingan evolved from.

Something like hope sparked in Hinata's breaking mind.

Byakugan. Did she… have the Byakugan? Or something… different? If it didn't work… she would give up.

But for now, she had precious hope.

She couldn't make handsigns, she had to rely on her own power, which in truth, was dwindling from the mental trauma she was experiencing. Hinata had to _try now_, before she couldn't think straight enough to even remember what her plan was.

"You killed her." Akane muttered, and a black scythe appeared, poised to slice her chained body in half.

_NOW! _Hinata screamed at herself. Out loud, she shouted "Byakugan!"

Power rushed to Hinata's own eyes, and suddenly, a bright thread of blue connected Hinata and Akane together. A bead of red was in the middle, but Hinata had no idea what that meant. All she knew was that if she pushed at the bead through the thread of chakra, it gravitated towards Akane.

Akane snapped out of her sullen daze and watched in fear as the crimson orb came towards her. Hinata felt a faint push back, and by the look of concentration on Akane's face, Akane was fighting for control.

But ultimately, Hinata was victorious. Although her mind was in pieces, her chakra was perfectly fine, unlike Akane's who had already spent energy on making the illusion in the first place.

The red glowing bead reached Akane. It touched her chest, and the world exploded in white.

When everything settled again, the tables were turned dramatically. Suddenly, it was Hinata standing free and unchained in the world of red, and Akane was the one bound tightly to an inky black crucifix.

"W-what is this? How did you… your e-eyes!" Akane stuttered, her eyes back to their normal black.

Hinata knew her glowing Byakugan was still on, but she feared what would happen if she deactivated it. "I didn't k-kill Rika-san. You did." Hinata stated, and suddenly, a white sword morphed out of the red, its sharp point pointed directly at Akane's heart.

"N-no, p-please!" Akane begged desperately, looking at the sword in something beyond fear.

Hinata felt disgusted for many reasons. This girl… could happily 'kill' her over and over… see the pain on others faces as she bullied them… but put her in her victim's places and she broke down like a coward. Secondly, Hinata was horrified that the sword was there, she didn't summon it willingly. She had only felt a little anger, and the illusion responded eagerly. Thirdly… she was close to killing… well, not quite killing, torturing, someone else and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

_The sword… appeared w-when I was angry… if I-I calm down? _Hinata closed her eyes and was grateful for the blackness. Wiping Akane's terrified face out of her mind, she thought instead of the Mongeese. Hinata felt the corners of her mouth turn upward a little as memories of her summons' antics flashed through her weary mind.

When her tension had gone, Hinata opened her eyes and saw, with relief, that the sword had disappeared… unlike the terror on Akane's face.

"I-I'll tell you everything… just don't hurt m-me!" Akane begged. Hinata clenched her teeth… and then remembered that Akane was only _6_. Like herself. _I-if I am only 6, how c-come I can deal with t-this stuff… and someone else can't? _Hinata asked herself sadly. The answer came back almost automatically. _Because they haven't been what you've been through._

"I come from Cloud, and I have been sent on a mission to retrieve the Byakugan." Akane's scared voice pierced through her thoughts. "I was chosen specially, because my blood carries the Sharingan gene." Hinata said nothing; she just waited for Akane to carry on. "I have the Sharingan gene… b-because I'm a descendent of the Uchiha's."

"How?" Hinata asked. The Uchiha's were loyal to Konoha, no one else. It had always been that way.

"300 years ago… the Sharingan didn't appear in some members of the clan, even though they had been in near death situations." Akane narrowed her eyes; Hinata could clearly see anger forming in the black depths. "The _Hyuga's…" _she spat out the word like it was a foul poison. "…mocked the Uchiha, saying they were weak. They said… the Uchiha Clan needed pruning, that _weak blood _was carried in the Sharingan-less members of the Clan." Hinata couldn't help feel angry herself… her ex-clan were so arrogant. They had picked on her for not activating the Byakugan; Akane's family had the same situation. "So, the Uchiha's gathered up the kekki-genki-less of the Clan, and banished them from Konoha. The banished members renamed themselves Saitō, and they moved to Cloud, holding a grudge against the Uchiha and the Hyuga."

"A-and now… you and you're Clan… have come to wreak revenge on us… by stealing my eyes, thus becoming the downfall o-of the Hyuga." Hinata finished off.

"Yes. The Cloud found out about the Saitō's past, and they tested every single Saitō for the Sharingan gene. I was the only one that carried it. So they sent me to Konoha, to kill you and retrieve your eyes." There was a pause. "The Cloud told me that if you were stronger than they expected, my Sharingan would come and save me."

"O-okay… b-but what about the… Uchiha?"

A thin, cruel smile stretched across the small girls face. "They will get what's coming to them. All of them. And we didn't have to do a thing."

Hinata was sickened, and then a plan flashed in her head. A plan to _warn _the Uchiha's. Plus, she didn't want to do this anymore, Hinata just wanted to go home and forget everything. Akane, her powers, Rika… especially Rika. The girl… had died for her. Died for her secret.

And now there was another reason why she couldn't show anything. _If Konoha knew… a-about me… they would send me on m-missions like A-Akane. I-I… am not ready yet. Not ready… to kill. I-I don't know when I-I will be ready… maybe never. But not now._

"I… I've told you everything I k-know. D-don't…" Akane mumbled, not meeting Hinata's eyes.

"I won't." Hinata said, seeing Akane relax. _B-but I want to get out here… _Hinata searched her own mind for an answer, but she was still badly shaken from being the victim of the illusion. It was amazing that she wasn't an unseeing lump on the floor from the trauma she had been through.

There was only thing she thought might work.

Slowly, Hinata let the chakra flow from her eyes, and her Byakugan deactivated. The crimson world around her started to swirl, and Hinata blacked out again.

The scent of copper filled her nose, and the sight of unmoving bodies drenched in blood was in her sight. Hinata felt the cold alley wall supporting her, which was good since she felt faint.

The pain of chakra-exhaustion set in, but Hinata couldn't give up just yet. Akane was still alive… but she was dying.

Desperately, Hinata stumbled forward to the fallen body of Akane. Her muscles screamed as she fell to the floor beside Akane's bloody body. Hinata could feel the faint pulse of life in Akane's chakra, but it was weakening all the time. Arm like iron, Hinata raised her hand to Akane's body and prepared her chakra. But… no energy rose up to the occasion. Hinata had nothing left to heal with.

_W-why…? Why do I-I want to save her? S-she took pleasure in… her mission… of trying to kill me… W-why…? Why… _The trauma, combined with chakra exhaustion made Hinata's mind give up.

All went black for the bluenette.

xXx

"Danzo… The date is set for tonight. The Uchiha will go down." Another faceless member of ROOT informed their leader.

"And Konoha will be safe. It is a heavy sacrifice… but pruning sick branches is essential to keep the whole plant healthy." The old, bandaged man shifted only his visible eye before asking something else. "What about Suna?"

"Suna…" the member looked perplexed. "Oh, Suna. The demon of Suna, am I right?"

"You are trying my patience." Danzo stated, no emotion showing in his body language or his voice. He had a solid, impenetrable mask on, a mask that had been perfected through years of practice at ROOT.

"Apologies, Danzo-sama. The weapon of Suna will be taken care of. I have already fixed the raffle. Hinata Hyuga will be going to Suna." The man addressing Danzo hurried over his words a little; they more time you spent around Danzo, the more likely you are to annoy him. And annoying the boss meant disposal, another word for death.

"She will be doing Konoha a great deed. Without their secret weapon, Suna will be unable to attack anyone. And then… the Wind will be Konoha's for the claiming." Danzo stated, eye unblinking.

"Sir, aren't we allied with Suna?"

"Alliance's mean nothing. A country has to rely on itself and itself alone. That fool…" Danzo's mask cracked a little, his tone of voice had gone beyond monotone. Only a hint of anger leaked through, but a hint was enough to put the man talking to Danzo on edge. "Sarutobi, he has grown weak with the fragile, illusion of peace he thinks he had created. The day I am Hokage will be the day we are all truly safe. Taking the over Wind with ROOT… will make me one step closer to securing mine and Konoha's future."

"Yes, leader-sama." The man had nothing more to report, so he excused himself in the common way of the ROOT. "No emotion, no feeling, only power. We are the roots that keep Konoha strong." With a deep bow of respect, the man talking to Danzo hurried out of the room, leaving Danzo to his thoughts.

_This girl… has a power that hasn't been seen in hundreds, maybe thousands, of years. If she completes this mission… her powers will be worthy for me to take. That bumbling fool Sarutobi wasn't vigilant enough in that hospital room. I saw everything… her ex-father… her seal… and her power. I sent her on this mission first… because she is the only one who I deem capable of killing the demon. It will be a good test for her… who knows, if she is compliant enough… she might become ROOT. I cannot be too greedy for now… preparation for tonight must begin…_

And with that, the old, greying ninja rose from his seat and slowly walked out of the room to prepare for the massacre that would be his and ROOT's downfall.

xXx

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

A steady beeping sound pulsed through the air, and it matched Hinata's heartbeat.

Shifting slightly, Hinata turned to the warmer part of the bed, content for a moment as her mind was blank.

Only for a moment.

_BEEPBEEPBEEP!_

Hinata shot out of bed, not even wincing as the heart monitor's stickers ripped off her. The silence in the white room was heavy as Hinata processed all her thoughts. But before she could truly collect herself, a figure walked in.

The figure named Sarutobi looked decidedly worn. Although he was in his official red and white robes, they looked crumpled and only served to highlight the slight sickly colour of the leader's skin. The Hokage also looked like he had gained a new set of wrinkles, along with an aura about him that screamed tired. Something was very wrong. Very wrong indeed.

The first thing the Hokage did was produce an ink pot and brush. Without saying a word, the aged leader started to ink out a formula for a seal on the floor. Hinata did not recognise the seal at all; but she committed it to her memory (as much as she could of it, it was complicated) anyway. Sarutobi placed a veiny hand over the seal, and Hinata vaguely caught a pulse of chakra emanating from him.

With a sickening crack of the knees, Konoha's Hokage rose from the floor. "Hinata-chan." He sighed wearily, brown eyes devoid of their usual brightness. "The entire world has a deep grudge against you it seems. This time, if my seal is correct, you will be able to speak to me in full confidence. No one can see nor hear us, which is a relief…" In a flash of motion, something rectangular appeared in Sarutobi's tan hand, whilst Hinata pondered over what the Hokage meant. A startling thought entered her mind; did someone else see when… Hiashi had been there?

Hinata's attention switched to the object in the tired rulers hand. It was a note of some sort, dyed in a sort of brown red colour. Hinata's nose caught a coppery smell… blood.

It came from the note.

Without a word, the Hokage laid the bloodstained note in front of Hinata.

_Hinata _

_You have killed my sister. One day, I will get you. I will get you like you got her. I swear upon the blood that I stained this note with, I will kill you._

_Kira Sait__ō_

A lump formed in Hinata's throat as she read, and reread the death note. A death note that didn't only tell of death, it smelt of it too. It was something that would make anyone cringe… or shake in fear.

She had failed too… failed Akane. Akane had died… because she had been too weak to save her.

"That was left at your apartment, three days ago. Right before…" the old man swallowed heavily. "Right before the Uchiha massacre… and the Saito massacre"

"No… I failed…" Hinata whispered, remembering Akane's words. _'They will get what's coming to them. All of them.' _It had happened already. Not just to the Uchiha… to Akane's family. All but Kira, the one with the biggest vendetta against her. Kira… who was after her right now… getting stronger right now… preparing…

For the day he killed her.

"Failed Hinata-chan? Nothing was your fault. Well, nothing that I know of anyway." The withered old man sat down on the edge of Hinata's hospital bed. Hinata caught a whisper of a groan escape her leader's lips, he must be truly worn. "Please… shed some light for me Hinata-chan. Tell me what happened to you. I have many deaths on my hands…" the Hokage sighed deeply, before straightening out.

Hinata took a deep breath, and for a moment, she considered lying. But thoughts of dishonesty were soon shattered, too much blood was spilt. The truth… might be able to bring peace.

"Akane-san… she followed me home after school. She had been expelled for… h-hurting me. She confronted me in the alley way, and she tried to… attack me with a kunai." Hinata swallowed and accepted the guilt that washed over her. "I dodged… but Akane's best friend Rika-san was behind me. S-she was going to defend me."

"Take your time… I can understand why you are upset. I… don't want to stress you out." The Hokage said, but there seemed to be another meaning to his words. _We certainly don't want you stressed Hinata-chan… it seems your powers come into play when you are. We don't want another hospital room wrecked._

Hinata didn't want to waste the old man's time; he seemed ready for a good night's sleep. What she didn't know was that Sarutobi would be going back to paperwork, but the kind thought was still there.

"Akane-san stabbed Rika-san accidently in the heart, a-and… Rika-san stabbed A-Akane-san in the stomach… accidently." Here was where it became… dangerous. "Akane-san… was near death. Her Sharingan activated." A sharp intake of breath was heard from the Hokage. "And because Akane-san had killed Rika-san… her Mangekyou awakened t-too…"

"N-no… I _knew _I shouldn't have let them back in… they still held grudges…" the Hokage muttered to himself, looking down at his wrinkled hands. Swiftly, the man looked up, eyes full of wonder and fear. "Hinata-chan… did she… use the Mangekyou?"

A staggering silence overtook the room. There were no birds chirping, no voices of nurses, no wind shaking the trees. The whole world held it's breath for a moment.

"Yes." Hinata licked her dry lips. "On me. The-the… illusion w-world."

"Hinata-chan… what did she do to you?" the Hokage whispered, his chocolate eyes full of dark guilt. _I could have stopped this… if only… I wasn't so trusting. I-I have become lax with peace… _

"S-she… killed me… 6-67 times." Hinata whispered, and then the Hokage frowned.

"67? If you were in there for three days…" the Hokage caught the look on Hinata's face and stopped speaking.

"I wasn't… in there for three days. I… got out." A truly shocked expression came onto the Hokage's face. Hinata had heard of the nickname Sarutobi had. He was named the Professor, due to the fact that he knew pretty much anything about the Shinobi world.

"You don't… have… Shinseina Byakugan…" the Hokage breathed, staring at Hinata in the eyes.

Hiashi had only taught her some words of the old-language* because they had to pray at mealtimes. Hinata was pretty sure… Shinseina meant holy. Holy Byakugan.**

"Shinseina… is that w-what my Byakugan is?" Hinata asked quietly, excitement bubbling in the pit of her stomach. Did… the Hokage have answers?

"It… has many names. It is… rarer than the Mangekyou. It's so rare… it's said not to exist. The only reason I know of it is because the Hyuga's themselves told me a legend about their clan. Even the Hyuga believe it doesn't exist; they just said it was an old story. How… did you obtain it?"

"I-I… When my friends and I were kidnapped… my Byakugan activated. A-and… I made the genjutsu r-rebound on the caster." Hinata flinched at the resurfacing memory. It was painful for two reasons; one, she had been kidnapped. Two… the old gang had been together.

"Incredible. It activated at a time of need." The Hokage continued to look awed, but then his businesslike workface came on. "Hinata-chan, you must not tell anyone about your power. The rarest Byakugan… even rarer than… the Rinneg- no, you don't know about that yet." The Hokage's face was set in a grim, serious mask as he continued. "Back to the matter at hand; imagine who would go after you for that power? Rookie kidnappers would be the least of your problems." _Orochimaru… Danzo… Not to mention the rest of the world… and then some. _"Who else knows?"

"N-no-one but Shikamaru-kun, you and me." Hinata assured, looking at the flustered Hokage. It was slightly frightening to see her leader lose composure in this way.

"The Nara boy will say nothing…he's got an incredible brain, just like the rest of his clan." The Hokage scratched thoughtfully at his unkempt beard, which showed that he hadn't cared much for his appearance over the last three days. But Hinata couldn't find fault with him; the Hokage had been dealing with massacre's over three days, he was handling himself well. "As for myself, I give you my complete, unwavering word; this information will not leave this room. I also promise to shed some light on your power, but an incredible amount of digging will need to be done. But with the current issue's Konoha is facing, some things will need to be delayed. This means I will not be able to educate you in your abilities for quite some time I'm afraid."

A rush of excitement washed over Hinata, and it settled as a hot feeling in her stomach. _N-new knowledge… answers to my questions… _"I-I understand, Hokage-jiji." Hinata remembered to add the suffix the old man preferred to the end of his name, and it managed to get the Hokage to smile a little, probably for the first time in days. Seeing just a little bit of tension dissipate from the man in front of her made Hinata very happy, but then everything that happened crashed on her again.

The alleyway, and all the violent memories it held. Akane, and all she had done, the price of her actions was her own life. Rika, the defender, whose morals and kindness only resulted in her slaughter, by her best friend no less. Hinata's own torture, not just physically in the illusion, but mentally now because she had failed in saving Akane and her family, and the Uchiha's. And now, to add to the list was another pressure to get stronger; Kira was coming after her. Not only that, she really would have to be vigilant and train it in secret; otherwise even more people, stronger, powerful people, would come after her.

So it would be inhuman if Hinata didn't cry with all the guilt and remorse on her conscience.

So cry she did; Hinata let warm tears fall. She didn't wipe them away when they became cold halfway down her cheek, she didn't move at all. The Hokage embraced her small body, and while she took the comfort gratefully, she made no move to return the hug.

"Hinata-chan… we'll have this mess sorted out soon, I give you my word. Please… do not blame yourself for anything that has happened, it was entirely out of your control. If anything, the fault is mine, because I let the Saitō back in."

A quietness descended over the hospital room, it would have been silence were it not for the breaths of the two people in there. Both people had their different thoughts, but they both had something in common. They were both in remorse.

After some time, a ninja with spiky black hair and dark eyes walked in, not commenting on the position the Hokage was in with the child.

The ninja scratched his bandaged nose before rubbing his eyes in a weary way. "Hokage-sama, Uchiha Sasuke has been caught trying to leave the village again. This time, I knocked him out, he is currently in hospital." The spiky haired ninja sighed. "The Council are reprimanding me for 'harming' the last Uchiha."

"Kotetsu-san, thank you for retrieving Sasuke-kun. As for your reprimand, well, I am the leader of this village and it is treason for the Council to reprimand or _command _my ninja to do anything without my explicit consent. They should know this, after what has happened recently." Gently, the elder of the room let go of Hinata. "I will talk to them myself. As for Sasuke-kun, did he try to escape for the same reason as last time?"

"Yes. He is still after his brother." Kotetsu said, body just betraying the slightest hint of unease.

"Thank you, Kotetsu-san. Dismissed." Sarutobi dismissed the man with a wave of the hand.

All throughout this conversation, Hinata had been thinking deeply. Many things had shocked her; for one, two Uchiha's were still alive. Her own classmate and his brother. What puzzled Hinata was why Sasuke was trying to leave the village to go after his brother. The way Kotetsu had said it led Hinata to believe Sasuke was going after his brother in a bad way. But for what reason would Sasuke want to harm his brother, the only family he has left?

Another thing that intrigued her was the fact the Council had called Sasuke the 'last Uchiha' when his brother was alive, did that mean Sasuke's brother way dying, or is he not considered to be of worth to Konoha anymore?

So many questions sprang up in Hinata's mind, but she was forced to stop thinking when the Hokage spoke again.

"Hinata-chan, I know that last conversation confused you." The Hokage's eyes narrowed. "Sasuke-kun was the only survivor of the massacre. His brother, Itachi… well, he was the one who massacred." Hinata felt her eyes widen in surprise, so much so it hurt. _H-his own brother… killed his entire f-family… he must be g-going insane! _"Itachi has left the village as a dangerous missing-nin and a traitor."

Suddenly, Hinata caught the sounds of thumping and shouting coming from somewhere outside the room.

"It seems Sasuke-kun is up and about. I will be in touch with you Hinata-chan, when I have information for you. For now, keep quiet and do well at school." The Hokage stood from her bedside, and Hinata missed the warmth the old man had radiated. "Do me a favour, visit Naruto-kun, Shikamaru-kun, Lee-kun, Tenten-chan, Shino-kun and Choji-kun soon. They have been here almost every spare hour waiting for you to wake up."

Happiness along with gratitude rushed through Hinata. She was grateful she had friends, especially ones that cared. It would make her so happy to see them all again, it seemed like an age since she last saw all their happy, smiling faces.

A particularly loud thump caused the Hokage to rush out of Hinata's hospital room in a flurry of white robes, leaving the girl to think alone.

However, her thought process was distracted by the increasing noise outside of her room, so she got dressed quickly and ignored the curiosity stirring up inside her. As much as she wanted to see exactly what was happening with Sasuke, she feared what the look on his face might be. She had seen enough fury on peoples faces over the past couple of days. For now, she wanted to see her friends and rest from the drama for a while.

And rest she would get, but only for a year. The day the raffle to Suna takes place would be the day drama would resume in the bluenette's life once again.

xXx

*old-language: I was talking about the Japanese language

**Holy Byakugan: Holy White Eye

I hope you enjoyed it; it was a little shorter than the rest of my other chapters I think. But I wanted to end it there because I want to get onto the next one ASAP.

Until next time, ingat! x


	15. Chapter 14

The Secret Prodigy

Hello, readers and reviewers! I think this is the last couple of chapters before Hinata moves onto her Jonin instructor.

**Echo Uchiha**: Thanks! Happy Reading! x

**ChocoRoseLuv**: Thanks for reviewing, even a short one gives me motive to write! Happy Reading! x

**Nafsi-chan**: Okay, questions: A) ROOT is a secret underground organisation that deals with the darker missions of Konoha. It is run by Danzo. On Narutopedia there is a list of known ROOT ninja. However, ROOT is supposed to be disbanded but Danzo carries it on under the Hokage's nose. B) Now, because Hinata is pretty well known and loved it by the Hokage Danzo would be a fool for trying to kill Hinata and take her chakra arm powers (Danzo doesn't know about her Byakugan). C) Gaara will insane because when he was 6 his uncle tried to kill him, and that was the time when he let Shakaku take over. He will be the Gaara you know of in the Chunnin exams. And lastly… D) … I have nothing to say, my passionate reader. Oh, I hope you have had (or are having) a wonderful time on vacation. Happy Reading! x

**Yuki25**: It's really no problem, it's better to answer questions than have a confused reader! Next chappie here! Yeah, I think it's unfair that the Sharingan has an upgrade… maybe Kishimoto is saving a Byakugan upgrade for later…? Anyway, enjoy! X

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**TwiliFay**: I'm a girl. No, Jamboree is for everyone, not just boys! Ask your scout leader about the next one… in JAPAN, did I mention! Thanks for the compliment, it made me all fuzzy! Erm… Kira is a boy, but y'know! Ahhh, it's all coming up… No offense taken, it's kind of flattering really! Hope you enjoy! Lots of Love, xAliPiex

Chapter 14

_1 year later…_

Butterflies raced through Hinata's stomach as her body flew through the air. Mind working frantically, she twisted subtly in midair so she wouldn't land painfully on her back. A dulled thumping sound was heard as Hinata finally landed on the gym mat. No pain shot through her solid muscles because of her safe landing, but even if she did land strangely, her muscles were developed to an extent where it wouldn't hurt her 7-year-old body anyway. But it's better to be safe than sorry.

"Hinata-chan, you've been downed three times. Sasuke-kun, you win." Iruka stated, somewhat bored, as Hinata rose to her feet. Hinata knew exactly why her sensei was bored for this fight; the outcomes when Sasuke fought were always the same. He always won.

Although Sasuke's skills had improved tremendously over the past year, his personality had taken a drastic turn. The Sasuke who was soft-spoken and polite had become cold and arrogant. The Sasuke before the massacre had been distant, but still pretty friendly to all those he knew (apart from Naruto because they two had fought). Now… if someone were to come up to him, unless it was about his school work, he was completely reserved. However, because of his prodigy status and broody looks, girls flocked to him more than ever. In return, the girls of her year (the infatuation had spread out of the classroom) only got rejection for their affections, sometimes cruelly.

Naturally, since the girls were all after one boy, competition was fierce, sometimes scarily so. Over the last year, she had seen the strongest of friendships crack and crumble, and the worst of enemy's do treacherous deeds to the opposition to look good in Sasuke's eyes. And the opposition meant everyone who was female. Apart from Hinata herself, who didn't try to win Sasuke's affections as she did not want them, and she believed Sasuke didn't like her much either.

On the other hand, this didn't exclude Sakura, much to Naruto's despair. Naruto's friendship with her had crumbled into dust over the last year, because Sakura kept on rejecting his offers to 'hang out'; sometimes she even beat Naruto for silly things he would say and do (which was often as he was a natural joker). The pinkette ignored Hinata's adopted brother entirely, which made Hinata angry in the sense that she was abandoning the boy who was kind to her for someone cold and unlikely to return her affections. It would be a love triangle, but Sasuke didn't seem to love anyone or even _like _them, so Sakura didn't have a chance.

As for herself, life was… good. Hard work, but good.

Her training was going excellently, despite the new pressure to keep it all a secret. In truth, it made her want to train harder because when she was finally strong enough, she could come out and flatten anybody who would threaten her or those around her.

Her summoning had improved to the extent where she could summon the entire family of Mongeese she knew in one Jutsu. The benefits of her rigorous daily exercise were really starting to show on her face as well as her body; her cheekbones were more defined and her face a little thinner (not so thin that she looked ill), but traces of puppy fat still lingered, giving her an overall childish look. Her fighting had improved in leaps and bounds because of her fitness and muscle density; she could avoid even Scar's flowing yet feral attacks with her developing fighting style and speed and even strike a few basic counterattacks of her own. Her chakra reserves had grown because she was aging and developing as well as training, and she could control her chakra to such a level where she could produce chakra needles from any one of her upper body tenketsu points (she still had a bit of work to do with her lower half). As for actual Jutsu, she could create 5 Clones (and control them to an extent), Transform (she had done the Jutsu so many times that the smoke produced by making the Jutsu had vanished, giving a better overall effect to the Jutsu) and use Healing Palm simultaneously, plus she was starting to grasp the Body Replacement Technique… but she had no idea where the objects came from… Every time she used it, a log seemed to take her place. And there were no perfectly cut logs in her little apartment, or in the forest for that matter. On the matter of plants, Hinata was on the last volume of her herbal books, _Master Herbs and Elixirs: It actually works! _It was the middle of summer in Konoha, a prime time for rashes, bug bites, sunburn and allergies, all of which she could cure. Due to her training, Hinata had been going easy on the herbal business as she already had quite a bit of money saved up from it.

As for her 'secret' abilities, she had started to improve her Byakugan, in the sense that she tried to 'read' people's aura's better, with Byakugan both active and inactive. She also spent many hours meditating with Byakugan on, pushing at the edges of her vision with her chakra, trying to increase her range. The intensity had improved too, she was starting to acknowledge insects in the forest, and 3 more tenketsu points were visible on another human's body.

The other 'gift; however, she had no such luck. No matter how hard she tried, the lashing 'arms' of liquidizing chakra wouldn't appear, only chakra needles would poke out of her chakra points. Hinata was still waiting in anticipation for the day the Hokage came back to her on both her Shinseina Byakugan and hopefully her chakra 'tentacles'.

On the friendship front, everything was great too. Every break she hung around with Tenten, Lee, Shino, Shikamaru and Choji, she had even gone out to the cinema and eaten in a restaurant with them all a couple of times (true, Lee had had to carry Shikamaru there because he was so lazy, and they were nearly all poor from Choji's eating habits… and Shino was a very fussy eater… and Lee tried to eat as much as Choji… and gave himself a ridiculously hard challenge when he epically failed (1000 laps round Konoha… on his hands. In an insane bout of endurance he did it) and the girls just watched as their group commenced in general banter that they were so used to, yet never tired of seeing it. Hinata loved her friends anyway, their quirks is what made them human. And boy, did her group have a lot of quirks.

For instance, Choji. Every meal, he had to finish the last bite of food, otherwise he would go into a fury. Also, her larger than life friend seemed to have developed a defence mechanism against bullies, every time someone called him fat, it would send him into the most terrible rage. Eventually, the kids in her class grew to fear Choji and his rages, add to that Choji's strength had seemed to have tripled over the year and his large body was filling out even more.

Shikamaru had less obvious traits, but there were a few Hinata could pick out. Even though he didn't try writing anything down in class, a couple of times she had seen Shikamaru making the strangest handsign with his hands. Later, when she had offered to play a game of shogi (she seemed to win when she was lucky, she had no actual skill for it) and he was in a difficult position, he would make the handsign again. Hinata concluded it was his 'thinking pose'.

Shino… was a very peculiar friend. He was very, very, _very_ quiet, as well as uncannily observant like Shikamaru. He had no problem speaking his mind, but he didn't it speak often. He had a natural fascination for insects (Hinata decided it was because of his clan), and frequently showed the group an interesting specimen that he had found on the fallen log at their break time meeting place. But… he had two major weaknesses. One, if someone were to kill and insect (even accidently, as was the case with Lee), or there was another insectivorous animal or plant around, he would go into despair, or viciously attack the offending creature who had killed the bug (Lee was lucky that he was so fast, otherwise Shino would have seriously maimed him). The other weakness was human contact. Hinata found out that Shino had a very large personal 'bubble', and only a few people were allowed to come within his touching boundaries (Hinata prided herself on being one of them).

Lee… well he was just Lee. Although, his 'youth' talk had gotten more frequent over the year, and he had started wearing a green jumpsuit. Not only that, but he had cut his long black hair into a shiny bowl cut which flicked up at the back. Hinata usually wasn't bothered by looks, but Lee had so much potential to look amazing (especially with the change of hairstyle, it suited him), if he would just let her fix his wardrobe and eyebrows… But, it didn't really matter. He was happy, so Hinata was happy.

And Tenten… her sister-like friend. She was the _human _she spent the most time with (save Naruto as she lived with him), and being naturally observant, Hinata had recorded all of Tenten's quirks.

One, She played with her hair when she was nervous, sometimes even letting her hair down and then putting it back up again. Two, occasionally she would speak only in the old language, mostly when she was angry (which wasn't a lot, she had a naturally happy disposition). Three, she had an undying love for dragons and panda's, even her apartment (Tenten lived by herself with a Chunnin 'watcher', someone who would check on her every three days) was themed for the two animals. Four, Tenten was curious, curious to the point of dangerous. The river that flowed by the side of their break time meeting place had been fallen in by many times by the panda lookalike girl because she thought she had seen a fish. Some tree's were destroyed around their meeting place as Tenten loved to climb and explore (add to that Lee's training)… which also included falling out of trees into certain rivers. There were many quirks about the girl, Hinata couldn't name them all in her head, she would have to write them down to list them all. But she loved the quirks; they were what made up the curious ball of energy that was Tenten.

"Hinata-chan, can you continue this lesson?" Iruka had broken her thoughts with his caring question. A quick nod of the head was all it took to confirm her well being. "Okay Hinata-chan, your next opponent will be Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan, step onto the mat."

Sakura. Hinata was up against the one person in the class she held tentative, yet growing grudges against. She had broken up the original gang, perhaps that wasn't really her fault (as in she didn't mean to) but because she had been there, the group had split. She was the object of her adoptive brother's affections, and named brother's affections were turned down cruelly, with sometimes a beating to go along with it. The pink headed girl was loud and shallow, competing (like most girls of the class) for Sasuke, and Hinata figured she didn't really have feelings for him (she was an immature _seven _year old); she was just being a sheep and following everyone else. And one other thing bothered her about the civilian raised ninja; she had made her ex-best friend suffer. Yes, Ino had abandoned her for Sakura, but Hinata couldn't bring herself to dislike the blonde girl; when they had been close it had been amazing. True, Ino could look after herself, but Sakura had thrown away what was a great friendship over a boy, something Hinata wouldn't even think of doing. That, in Hinata's eyes, was true disloyalty.

So as the pinkette stepped up confidently on the blue gym mat, her cement like grudges were set into concrete resolve. She would… clear up any hard feelings through beating the girl. It was… unlike Hinata to think like this, but in truth, her opponent was weak in combat. She had a brilliant academic mind and her chakra control was excellent, but there again, her general jutsu skills were below average and Hinata suspected the only reason Sakura was good at controlling her chakra was because she didn't have a lot _of it to_ control. Sakura… had great potential, but in physical lessons she did little, and never once had Hinata seen Sakura train outside of school (and she was using the Byakugan a lot now). All Sakura did when she got home was wash her hair and body (unfortunately, having the Byakugan _did mean _you could look through clothes… and walls. She couldn't really help it, so she tried not to focus on particular people, it was embarrassing), go shopping with her mother (something that Hinata wasn't afraid to admit she was jealous of, but she didn't brood over her lack of parents) or follow Sasuke around like a sheep in a flock of fangirls.

"Oh Sasuke-kuuuunnn! _When _I win this will you come round to mine to have tea?" Sakura asked, flicking her candyfloss hair in Sasuke's direction.

"No." The answer Sasuke gave his admirer was short and brutal, but apart from a flinch Sakura didn't betray any hurt.

_He's playing hard to get… this will impress him right? I can't lose! _Sakura thought to herself, looking up her opponent. _Hinata-san eh? She won't be too hard… but why is she looking at me like that? _Sakura's nerves increased as she met two pale lavender eyes staring straight at her. _I-it's unlike Hinata-san to meet someone's eyes… it's kinda creepy when she looks at me… _

Meanwhile, Hinata was assessing up her opponent carefully. Observing her classmates had paid off really, she knew what moves they were most capable of. She was in the middle of developing a way to truly practice sparring, she called it Shadow Sparring. Basically, she imagined what attacks her classmates would do (based on what she had seen in lessons) and fight the imaginary opponent, working out what she needed to do to counter what moves and what speed she needed to avoid attacks.

Whilst slipping into her stance, Hinata upped the weight in her Gravity Seal, just to slow her down so she didn't get carried away. Her Seal work had improved lately, but she spent so much time on everything else Seals didn't get a lot of attention. Nevertheless, she could perform Gravity Seals, Scroll Seals, weak Chakra restraints (it limited the amount of chakra she was allowed to use), Finger Engraving Seal (where she can engrave writing on a surface using her chakra. Hinata found out what it was when she read the _Chunnin Level: Seals_. It matched the description of what she did when she cut herbs and food up) and write Explosion Seals (but she had never had any reason to use them, but it was a comfort to know how to create them in a flash).

"Marks… Get set… Spar!" Iruka shouted, but there was no movement on the mats. Hinata stood stock still, waiting for Sakura to make her first move. Sakura had yet to even get into a proper stance; she was too busy gazing at Sasuke. Occasionally the pink head would flicker her emerald eyes over towards Hinata, but they quickly went back to the 'last' Uchiha again.

"Sakura, into stance now. Hinata-chan is nice enough to wait, but an enemy wouldn't wait for you to get ready!" Iruka scolded, much to Sakura's chagrin.

Once Hinata's opponent's blush had settled, Sakura finally got into a clumsy stance. The girl had little combat ability; in fact she was one of the worst fighters in the class, on par with Shikamaru (who had great potential, but his effort was nil and his concentration was on daydreaming rather than sparring). It wasn't that the girl didn't have talent, or lack the physical capability (she was frighteningly strong, especially when she hit Naruto). No, it was because she lacked effort and concentration, much like Shikamaru.

All of a sudden, Sakura rushed toward her with all the grace of a charging bull. To some, Sakura running might look fast, but Hinata's eyes and reflexes were quite used to speed, due to her running in the forest. To her, Sakura looked to be running in slow motion with a scrunched up face of determination.

Finally Sakura reached her, and in a blurry of movement, Hinata struck out of the girl's chest with a single flat palm. The world stopped for a mere second and Hinata saw Sakura's leaf green eyes bulge, before she was flung through the air. The girl landed heavily on the gym floor, letting out a shout of surprise and probably pain too. Hinata's conscience twinged, but then she remembered how the pinkette had treated her 'brother' and felt a little better.

"Er… Hinata-chan wins. Sakura, you were pushed off the mats. Better luck next time." Iruka commented, scratching his scarred nose. Hinata only felt slightly offended by the fact her sensei had based her win on luck… maybe she should win more often to change his mind…

_N-no… Secrets… The Hokage said to keep everything a s-secret… I'm not strong enough to fend off real ninja yet. _Hinata drooped her shoulders and looked to the floor in mock anxiety and remorse. "S-sorry Sakura-san." The blue head mumbled shyly, before shuffling over to where Shikamaru and Choji stood.

"Well that was… short Hinata-chan." Shikamaru said, eyes lidded as he observed his friend.

"Yeah Hina-chan, that was pretty cool. Sakura's been getting on my nerves lately… she keeps calling me fat." A pack of crisps seemed to suddenly appear in Choji's bandaged (he had started wearing them lately) hands. "I'm not fat, I'm big boned right!"

Hinata nodded (her conscience of hurting Sakura had eased once and for all, she was mean to Choji too) and Shikamaru grunted. "Choji my friend, you really don't need to worry about that troublesome girl. She doesn't know you so she can't judge you. You _need _to eat anyway." Shikamaru yawned and stretched his arms lazily.

Hinata already knew why Choji needed to eat so much, his Clan uses Jutsu's that converted calories into chakra. Still… if there was any other way to store energy… Other kids were cruel to him because of his necessary size.

"Alright kiddies, line up! I've got a little announcement to make!" Iruka suddenly announced through Hinata's thought. Without thinking, she started to make her way to the line, Shikamaru and Choji right behind her.

When everyone was accounted for (Iruka did the register) Iruka produced a hat out of no-where (literally, it poofed into his hands). Everyone _oooooh'd _but was shortly cut off by Iruka.

"Okay, I should explain." Iruka coughed once before going on. "Basically, 30 years ago we formed an alliance with the Wind Country. In a show of good faith, once every 10 years they allow _one _Konoha academy student over for a month. We show our faith by letting their Kage come to visit ours sometimes… armed." Iruka shuffled the black hat in his hands. Hinata wasn't tall enough to see what was inside the hat, but she guessed it was paper strips by the sound it made when it moved. "We _were _going to do this last year, but… there were certain _circumstances _that had to be dealt with first. However, now that everything is settled, it's time to choose the lucky winner. There was another draw and out of all the classes in Konoha Academy, ours was chosen. This draw is to select the winner. So without further ado…" Excited chatter circulated around the gym hall, but it went completely silent as soon as Iruka dipped his hand into the hat.

A strange feeling of _knowing_ swept over Hinata as she saw her sensei's tanned hand rise up out of the hat, a single slip of paper clasped in between his two brown fingers. _It… It's going to be me. I can __**feel **__it! _Hinata's eyes focused on Iruka's lips, almost reading them before he actually said anything.

"Hinata Hy… Hiuga?" Iruka announced, almost like a question. _Why can't they spell her name right? _Iruka wondered to himself, looking at the blue headed girl.

Disappointed grumbles and a couple of shouts of excitement (from Naruto) echoed throughout the hall, all unheard to the girl who actually won the opportunity.

_Wind… the Mongeese… they can visit… home. _Thoughts of her ecstatic adopted family surged through her head, making her smile brightly in elation.

All of a sudden, her world spun as a solid object came crashing into her. She would have been scared if it not for the objects' smell. The smell of ramen, soap and her apartment. The scent of Naruto.

"Hina-chan! I'm gonna miss you!" Naruto gushed, clinging onto the startled girl for dear life. Other kids around her (save Shino, Shikamaru and Choji… and Sasuke) started to snicker.

"Yeah… Although it will be a troublesome trek there." Shikamaru commented. "Still, have a nice time."

"Yeah, have a great time Hinata-chan! Erm… could-could you tell me about Wind cuisine… if it's not too much trouble?" Choji pleaded, just before stuffing another crisp inside his mouth.

"No... Instead… I-I'll bring back something for everyone!" Hinata promised, taking joy from the excited looks on her friends' faces. Even Shino was letting out more emotions than usual; his mouth was upturned in not a smirk, but a real, true smile.

"Enjoy your time in Wind Hinata-chan. We will _all _miss you, but a month isn't too long." It wasn't much, but it was more than enough to make tears come to Hinata's pale eyes.

Friends that cared… that stuck by her… that would miss her when she was gone. It was… an unbelievable feeling, and Hinata wondered what she had done to deserve them.

A warm tear slid down her cheek, but it wasn't out of sorrow, grief or pain. For the first time in her _life, _Hinata cried out of happiness. Gently, 4 pairs of arms wrapped around her, squeezing her into a big, group embrace.

"I-I'm gonna miss you all t-too…" Hinata sniffled, leaning into all their embraces.

A cough startled the group out of their fluffy moment, and they broke apart. The boys gave Hinata small smiles, and Hinata returned them all.

"Hinata-chan, you leave tonight at 6. I am allowing you to leave school once this break is over, so you can pack for a month and get everything you want sorted out." Iruka explained. He turned back to the whole class. "Right, class dismissed. Good job everyone; you are all coming on well with your Taijutsu. Next lesson, English!" Naruto let out a high pitch whine, he hated English. In fact, he hated lessons, but he loved to learn. Hinata found that rather strange. "Naruto, I will be checking everywhere in my classroom for pranks, and if you don't attend class I _will tell Itchiraku not to sell ramen to you!_" Naruto gasped heavily in shock.

"Iruka-sensei!" he whined, eyes abnormally large.

Hinata giggled a little, Naruto and his ramen. She had a feeling it was all he was going to eat while she was away… but she would let him. However, when she came back from her trip… he was going to eat nothing but _vegetables_.

"Alright kids, off you go!" as soon as Iruka gave the real all clear, her classmates rushed out of the gym, apart from her friends (Naruto had rushed out too, but not before he gave her a mournful wave) … and Sasuke of course. He only rushed in training.

"Hinata-chan, if you have no questions about tonight, are you ready to walk with us to meet Tenten-chan and Lee-kun?" Shino asked, his eyes probably intense behind his blue-blocker glasses. Even Hinata didn't know Shino's eye colour, she had seen his eyes through her Byakugan. All she could say was that they were a _very _nice pair of eyes.

"I have one question Shino-kun, please wait for me a second." Hinata turned to her sensei. "Iruka-sensei, who is coming to Suna with me?"

"Good question. Apparently, the Lord Hokage and some… guards are going." Iruka answered, pausing at the word 'guards'. "Is that all Hinata-chan?"

Hinata nodded before she and her 'gang' walked out of the gym and across the busy playground to their meeting place amongst the trees.

It didn't take them long to get there, they were walking pretty fast. Hinata felt a little sad all of a sudden, she wouldn't see her wonderful, _precious _people for an entire month. A heavy feeling settled in her stomach, and tears prickled in her eyes again as she was greeted to the sight of Lee and Tenten.

The pair was on the floor, and Tenten was tickling Lee on the stomach but he looked unnaturally calm, like he was forcefully enduring the playful touch. However, Tenten's chocolate brown eyes locked with Hinata's pale, teary ones and she stopped immediately and in a dash of speed was beside Hinata.

"Tenten-chan! You were supposed to do it for 5 minutes! It was a test of my enduran-"Lee stopped short at the sight of Hinata. He appeared beside her even quicker than Tenten. "My most youthful Hinata-chan, what is wrong? Who has damaged one of my most precious people?"

"Yeah Bluey-chan, what's wrong?" Immediately, Tenten turned to the guys, a kunai in her hand. "I _swear _if one of you hurt her, I will chop off whatever part of you hurt her… whether it be your hands… your feet… or your tongue." Tenten threatened lowly and Shino, Choji and Shikamaru backed up instinctively at the frightening girl.

"Troublesome woman… if you would let us explain…" Shikamaru started, but he was cut off as Tenten gave a war cry.

"So you HAVE hurt her!" The weapons mistress dashed forward, but was stopped why a pair of small arms wrapping themselves around her body.

"H-Hinata-chan? Seriously… what's wrong?" Tenten murmured, rubbing the smaller girls back in soothing circles.

Hinata shook a little. She felt weak… but it was okay. Emotion… letting go… letting her mask break as little… like Shino said, she didn't have to hide around her friends. So she didn't hide her sadness, it was a way to show she cared for them all, and she would miss them enough to cry. "I-I'm l-l-leaving for S-Suna." Hinata sobbed, tightening her grip a little.

Tenten winced a little; Hinata was far stronger than she looked. Then the words sunk in. "Wh-What? Why?"

"There was a raffle. The prize was to visit the Wind for a month. Hinata-chan won it." Shikamaru answered, and Tenten relaxed a little. _Kami-sama… I thought she got kicked out the village or something… _

"It's okay Hina-chan… You'll be back soon right? If you miss us, just remember we will be here when you get back. Take it one day at a time." Tenten whispered into the bluenette's ear. She got a nod from the girl in response.

After a while, Hinata let go of Tenten (Tenten was slightly relieved, Hinata _really did _have a strong grip) and flopped to the floor. The rest of her gang followed suit and began to engage in conversation.

"Tenten-chan, can we continue our challenge now we know that the youthful Hinata-chan is okay?" Lee asked, getting into a sort of meditative pose. "I wish to see how hard my Flames of Youth burn, and complete this challenge! I must keep up with my training since the honourable Guy-sensei is away on business!" Tenten simply rolled her eyes, another habit she had. Another habit that Hinata would miss dearly.

She would miss everything about Konoha, so she took everything in now and imprinted it on her memory.

The way the gentle breeze carried the earthly scents of leaves, animals and people from the forest beside them. The way the lush grass rippled. The way the river shone in the ever bright sunlight, the rushing sound it made as the water found lower ground. The high pitched chirps of the birds above the towering trees. The murmurs of lively conversation between her closest and best friends. The joyful tears of Lee as he exclaimed about his latest challenge. The way they all laughed when Lee did something silly. The way Shino would talk with underlying passion about nature. The way Shikamaru slept on the grass, with Choji munching noisily by his side. The way Tenten would talk and giggle with her like sisters.

She would miss it all.

But when the bell went, Hinata realised that going away for awhile would make her appreciate her friends even more.

After teary goodbyes, Hinata walked out of the school gates, only looking back once so she didn't forget how the school looked. Her memories would be the only things that would truly comfort her in Suna.

Jogging home with her Seal heavier than usual, she decided what to pack for the month ahead.

It was going to be a busy one.

xXx

"Danzo-sama… the plan is complete. The trigger is set up. Any further orders?" A different faceless ROOT member informed his leader. The last 'informer' had been disposed of for showing too much emotion on a assassination mission. Feelings were not tolerated in this association.

Danzo turned round in his cheap swively chair. Since ROOT was supposed to have been disbanded, their funds had been cut off. Naturally, cuts in cost had been made, but their objectives stayed the same. Keep Konoha powerful at _all_ costs.

"Have you set the trigger up as planned?" Danzo asked, reaching for his walking stick at the side of his desk.

"Yes. A seal has been placed that injects a pain inducing drug into Hinata Hiuga, causing her subconscious to react instinctively to protect herself. It has been set when the seal picks up a jinchuriki's chakra signature." The member answered in monotone.

"And will the demon fox be delayed at school so he doesn't meet up with the Hokage who carries the device?"

"Yes."

"Good. Go down to Level 2… it seems our latest recruit still has some… spirit in him. Beat it out of him." The aging man ordered, not even flinching as he gave out the orders to torture someone.

As for the member of ROOT who the orders were given to, inside his conscience twinged but he gave no signal that he felt guilty. To survive in ROOT, you had to be cruel. The cruellest lived longer, and were the most influential.

Danzo turned around in his chair, and the informer took this as the cue to leave.

_It is the best theory I have as to her gifts. When I saw her in the hospital, her 'arms' appeared when her father activated her Branch Seal. If I am correct, her body tries to protect itself from pain subconsciously. For now… it's all I can think of. It seems Sarutobi waiting a little longer to set out to Suna gave me more time to ponder over her abilities. _Danzo tapped his cane on the floor in something resembling excitement. _If all goes to plan… Suna will be weakened and ready to take… Even if it's not ROOT who will be doing the direct taking. But when I take Konoha, the Wind will just be another jewel in the hat that will sweeten the position of Hokage. _

The war hawk chuckled gruffly, before unleashing a full out burst of insane laughter. _I may not have the resources I once had… but by Kami I __**will **__get Konoha… I thank you, Hinata Hiuga!_

xXx

A sharp rapping sound of knuckles on wood disturbed Hinata from her early dinner of grilled chicken breast, peas and corn in the cob. She downed the last of her Body Booster Tea before going to answer the door.

A slight sense of apprehension filled Hinata. She still hadn't gotten over her trust issues; they had only strengthened since Akane… tried to kill her. Still, it was rude to keep people waiting.

Nearing the door, she felt the aura of the person standing behind it.

She relaxed. It was the solid, calm aura of her Hokage, Sarutobi.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door of her apartment. True to the aura, there stood the Hokage, looking a little ordinary in shinobi attire. Still, his brown eyes held untold wisdom that came only with age, eyes of an experienced veteran. It put Hinata at ease to know the Hokage would be with her.

"Ah Hinata-chan, for once we meet on a calm night. The moon will be bright tonight, good for travel." The Hokage looked up into the sunset sky. "A good night indeed. Are you ready to leave?" Hinata nodded once in confirmation.

The Hokage became blurred, and Hinata felt a wind rush past her. A mere second later, the Hokage appeared before her again, a large scroll across his back. A scroll that held all her possessions.

"Sealing eh? I know you've been doing some extra-curricular studies." Hinata's eyes widened marginally. "I don't know the full extent of your abilities. Hopefully this trip might provide some insight Hinata-chan. You've always been an enigma."

Hinata didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or not. She couldn't ponder over it; the Hokage was all ready to go. And so was she… after on last thing.

Hinata turned around and took a last, sweeping glance over her humble, yet homely apartment.

_Goodbye… _It felt silly, saying farewell to your own residence, but it made Hinata feel better in a way. Nodding to herself, Hinata turned back to the Hokage.

Without a word, Sarutobi began walking, Hinata right behind him. She was leaving Konoha for the first time, she didn't know what to expect. A feeling of fear and excitement rushed through Hinata's body, and she couldn't help but clench and unclench her fists as she walked; it seemed to help a little with the nerves.

5 black cloaked figures stood at the huge wooden gates, unmoving as the Hokage and Hinata approached them. Hinata recognised the animals the masks were supposed to portray; Bird, Boar, Cat, Scarecrow and Tiger.

"Tiger, Scarecrow, I thank you for coming onto active duty for a while. I assure you, ANBU will not be recruiting you anymore after this. We had to get you two since we need more ANBU to protect Konoha whilst I am away." The Hokage addressed the two ANBU in a low voice.

"It honours me that you would choose me for this job Hokage-sama! I assure you, I will protect you most youthfully if it comes down to a fight." Tiger exclaimed… doing Lee's 'good guy' pose. Hinata gasped in shock… There was no denying it… the talks of youth, the pose… this must be Lee's sensei… Guy.

"What he said." Scarecrow said coolly, and Hinata felt Guy's aura bounce a little.

"Always so cool, rival!" Guy exclaimed, but the Hokage coughed and Guys' aura clamed, along with his body.

"Tiger, Scarecrow, unless we are inside the city of Suna, I forbid you to address each other on such regular terms. Enemy ninja may use it against you." The Hokage reprimanded, but Hinata could just make out a smile forming on his wrinkled lips.

"My most humble apologies Hokage-sama. It won't happen again." A ping was heard and once again, the Tiger masked Guy did the good guy pose.

"I apologize also." Scarecrow excused, before going silent once more.

"Hinata-chan, we will be taking regular stops for you, so need not worry about the journey. If we need to get there quicker, Scarecrow will give you a piggyback." A snort was heard from one ANBU member, but the Hokage only flicked his eyes over in the ANBU's direction before all went quiet.

"That won't be necessary Hokage-sama… I can run okay… I think." Hinata informed quietly. The Hokage cocked his head once before going to the front of the ANBU.

"Hinata-chan, I will lead at the front and the ANBU will surround you. Are you ready?" the Hokage asked kindly.

"Yes!" Hinata replied with some enthusiasm. Immediately, she lightened up her Seal, this was ANBU after all. A few years of speed training couldn't compare to ANBU's agility, could it?

"Go!"

The Hokage set off a run. A few seconds later, the second pair of ANBU set off after him. Hinata looked beside her; Tiger and Scarecrow were at her side.

"Hinata-san, go." Scarecrow ordered so Hinata set off at a run too.

_Goodbye Konoha…_

It was her last thought before Hinata jumped up along with the ANBU into the trees to start her adventure.

xXx

Hiya people! I am _**SO **_sorry that took me so long. It's the holidays where I am, and I go out nearly every day to cinema, swimming town etc, not to mention musing time and then actual writing time. Please bear with me, I think when school comes round again updates will be quicker, no guarantee's.

Till next time, ingat! xxx


	16. Chapter 15

The Secret Prodigy

Hiya people! School started up again (as Shikamaru would say, what a drag), so either updates will be quicker or slower. I honestly don't know. All I know is that hate Monday mornings.

Oh yeah, I forgot to do this.

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Sakura wouldn't be so annoying, Sasuke would be beaten by a log (gotta watch the parody to get it) and Gaara, Hinata, Lee and Tenten would have more screen time. Ah… but it's only a dream. The rights go to Kishimoto, not me. Shame.**

This is a really long chapter, so it took quite a while. And I haven't even reached Suna yet! I'm so sorry, but this is a bit of a filler because my imagination wanted to wander a little.

Anyway, reviews! x

**Kaila Azroth**: You have officially won the prize for the most enthusiastic review I have ever received. :) Thanks so much, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! x

**ChocoRoseLuv**: Not yet… I'm gonna keep you hanging for a while, can't have them meeting because Hinata is a ticking time bomb. However, the other two will be included! Happy Reading! x

**Chris not Kriss**: I'm happy you love this story; I honestly can't believe the amazing feedback I get! Poor you, my school started today. Friday was a teacher training day. Lovin' the sarcasm :) Happy Reading! x

**DF-chan**: Phew, I read the first line and I thought it was gonna be a flame lol. I missed the 'I do like it' bit. Silly me. Yeah, horrible things have happened but hasn't Hinata always gotten stronger after? GaaHina is a definite, I sent her to Suna already so that won't change really. Thanks for reviewing; every one means a lot to me! Happy Reading! x

**Chakira16**: Thanks! Yeah, I wasn't able to find a strong Hinata Fanfiction, so I wrote one instead (next best thing right?). I really hate it when people put her as weak; it would be cool if she were stronger in Fanfic's. Oh well. I really want to write more, but progress is pretty slow! Anyway, Happy Reading! x

**Hinalover**: Thanks for the two reviews lol. You painfully wait? Oh dear. You are very kind; this is my first story so I know it's not perfect or anything (hell, what story is perfect?). Hinata isn't really a yelly kinda person, but an idea formed in my head when I read this review. The Jonin team thing is pretty much already sorted, it's kinda… different I suppose. As for Kakashi… wait and see. I don't know whether Hinata will leave the village, I really haven't got that far yet :). Anyway, I'm glad you think my story is worth the trouble of 2 awesome reviews! Happy Reading! x

**Naruto-Neko**: LMFAO! I'm happy you love it! Get your mind out the gutter, that's not 'till later! If I can get the courage to write kissy-kissy crap ;) Happy Reading! x

**SasaHina4evr**: Thanks a lot! Good reviews like that always make me happy and fuzzy inside! I'm glad you also like GaaHina! It makes my job easier lol. PS. I can't kill Sakura, she's kinda important (in her own useless kinda way). I happily would though in another fic perhaps (if I write another fic after I've finished this one). Anyhow, 'till the next time I update, take care and ja nee! Happy Reading! x PPS. I like your sign!

**Nafsi-chan**: No problem, I hope you've had a great time! Yeah, it was a bit of a boring chapter, but it had to done. Detail is better than rushing it (I think so anyway). You guessed right… but _when_, that's the big question. I'm going to take it slow with their relationship, Gaara isn't going to be all loved up until he becomes 'normal', but there will be… I don't know, jealousy, possessiveness? There again, they are ninja's, trained to kill by the age of 10-ish, so why not fall in love? I'm not saying I will though. Anyhow, it's a bit pressuring 'cuz I'm literally 13 and I wouldn't know about the real love anyway (only had abnormally long crushes). I'm happy you like the relationship between Hinata and Tenten. And I really did try to give Lee's character justice. *Bows* Yeah well, the Hyuga's could be a bunch of closet perverts? Lol, yeah but Naruto (anime) is supposed to be for teenagers and children, so they aren't going to show naked bodies. But in my fic, they aren't cartoonised, so I dunno, it would just be more realistic if she could see through clothes and then see chakra points. Then, she can 'zoom in' further to see chakra systems and stuff. But it's a minor detail. Still, I'm sorry you didn't like it. Thanks much for reviewing, and I'll try to update as soon as I can! Happy Reading! x

**Yuki25**: No problem! I don't like Sakura much, but I won't be all bashy all the time. I know what you mean, she whines too much in Part 1. I've not really watched (yes, watched. I don't read manga much) much of Shippuden. I'm glad you're excited! I will try and make him good **but **I want it to be slow, because it's boring and unrealistic if they meet and then Gaara turns good and they live happily ever after straight away. It doesn't happen like that in real life, so why in a story? Anyway, Happy Reading! x

**RebeccaInuzuka1998**: Hanabi is next in line to become Clan Head, but as she is too young the Hyuga Council are ruling for now. Enjoy x

**Eirdaru**: Thank you! I will try and keep Kankuro in character because in the anime he was just mean to little kids and a bit gruff. I hope I do him justice! Happy Reading! x

**Me-Want-Toast123**: Yupp, I love Tenten too. I don't think she gets enough time on screen, but that gives writers a lot to play with. Little redhead won't be making an appearance immediately; I've got a whole month to write about. Lol, enjoy! X

**Failure-chan**: Be patient :) I'm not gonna go kill anyone. That's all I can say. Oh, and thanks for the update on your story! It was brilliant! Happy Reading! x

**TwiliFay**: I hate Danzo, even though he tries to protect Konoha. I will try to finish this story, but we've got a long way to go yet! 1) Yes. His uncle tried to kill him when he was six, he's seven now. 2) Maybe. Probably not though. 3) Depends, I haven't really decided yet! I didn't expect to get this far! Happy Reading! x

**Flyingshuriken**: Thanks. It was mean but I can do something with that later. I will soon, promise! Who said Hiashi stays dead? That's all I'm saying! Update here, enjoy! X

**Anotamous**: Because the Hokage told him to :) Official ANBU and that. Remember that Guy can be serious when he wants to. Happy Reading! x

Chapter 15

As the sky darkened, progress through the forest was becoming increasingly slow. Hinata, the ANBU and the Hokage had been travelling little over an hour, with no signs of fully stopping.

The Hokage quickly found out that Hinata could keep up with his ANBU, but he slowed himself as not to tire her too quickly. Her endurance could be lacking, but he could say her speed was certainly not.

Another hour passed, and Hinata herself was starting to feel the effects of forest travel. Sure, she had travelled for longer in the Forest of Death, but she didn't need to think about where to place her foot because she knew the area so well (she had travelled through it blindfolded). However, outside in this unfamiliar forest, she had to judge how far to jump from branch to branch, and it drained her of energy.

Suddenly, the Hokage stopped. His ANBU did the same. Hinata tried to follow suit, but with a sickening _snap _the branch she landed on broke away from the tree.

She was a long way off from the ground, and below her was undergrowth that had thorns and nettles in it. Mind working frantically, Hinata tried to find something to cling onto. But there was nothing, the tree was to far away from to cling to, and there were no other branches around.

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut and prepared herself for the pain. Suddenly, she felt a rush of chakra pouring out of her body, and all motion stopped. But she couldn't feel ground.

When she heard gasps she finally opened her eyes once more. All of a sudden, she knew why they were gasping.

Two spirals of her silvery-indigo chakra had come out of her waist and gone to the forest floor, essentially holding her in midair. Although she couldn't see the ANBU's faces, she could feel their auras. They were all nervous.

The only one who didn't seem fazed at all by this was the Hokage, he just looked at Hinata with knowing eyes. His brow was furrowed in thought, making his forehead more wrinkled than it already was. After a heartbeat, he snapped to attention.

Suddenly, the Hokage became a blur rushing towards her. Skilfully, the aged leader twisted his body so that he wouldn't touch the chakra tentacles, but he was able to lift Hinata by the armpits to a safe branch. The Hokage's touch seemed to break the concentration Hinata had, and the energy tentacles dissipated.

The two landed on a stable branch and the Hokage gently placed her small body onto it, before turning round to address the still shocked ANBU.

"ANBU, this is an S-class secret. Nothing more is to be said about this matter, understood? If _any_ other country finds out, she will be in danger along with Konoha." The Hokage boomed, authority clear in his voice. "Unless I say otherwise, Hinata-chan's gift is not to be mentioned. Is that clear?"

"Hai!" The ANBU chorused back. The Hokage nodded in satisfaction.

"Troops, night is upon us. We have a child in our ranks, so it's time to rest. You know what to do."

Without a word, the ANBU dissolved in the night to complete whatever task the Hokage sent them to do.

A massive quake shook the ground, but the Hokage wasn't alarmed, so Hinata composed herself again.

"That will be Cat-san* with the house. Come, Hinata-chan. I need you to be fully rested for tomorrow. We set off early." The Hokage told her, taking her hand and jumping from branch to branch.

The two stopped at a clearing, where a massive wooden house stood. Hinata doubted even the ANBU would have been able to build that in a minute… could someone… _make _wooden houses grow out of no-where?

Also, the Hokage's plans of rest disturbed Hinata's training regime. Currently, she was in the process of walking up trees, something she had read long ago in _Genin Level: Chakra Control_. It mentioned it also in _Chunnin Level: Chakra Control_. Hinata hadn't been practicing it because she thought she had no need for it, but an incident in the Forest of Death (involving a tree, 3 mutant tigers and some rain) had taught her otherwise.

She had only been doing it for a fortnight or so, and for an hour at a time. She had to fit in all her other training around it, so she couldn't spend a lot of time on one thing.

An idea struck her just as the figure of the Cat-masked ANBU member walked out of the wooden house.

"Hokage-sama, shall I make the firewood now?" the ANBU asked, but the Hokage shook his head. Hinata frowned in thought at the Cat masked ANBU's choice of words. He said make. Surely it was a mistake?

"I sent Scarecrow and Tiger to do that… Tiger needs some energy burning and Scarecrow can keep him in check... If not, pray Kami-sama helps us." The wrinkled leader replied.

Hinata's ears caught the sound of shouting, so she tried to focus in on it. Sending the tiniest stream of chakra to her ears, her hearing became infinitely more acute. She could suddenly make out what the voices were saying.

"Scarecrow, who can chop wood faster, me or you?" The unmistakable voice of Tiger boomed.

"Does it matter?" Scarecrows voice was a lot quieter; Hinata had had to strain her ears to catch up the words he mumbled.

"Aha, I see now! You forfeit! 32-30 now, I won the last challenge, and you took defeat coolly, do you not recall?" Tiger gleefully shouted. Hinata could just imagine the person underneath the Scarecrow mask cringing, Guy was… _very loud_. She saw exactly where Lee got his exuberance from.

"I didn't say I forfeit. I merely asked you what the point of this ridiculous exercise." Scarecrow quickly said. Hinata couldn't help but let out a small giggle, it seemed Scarecrow wanted to keep his pride in tact.

"It is to test how bright the Flames of our Youth BURN! On your marks, get set, GO!"

A tremendous crack could be heard, making Hinata wince. She called the chakra away from her ears, relieved now because hearing everything was confusing and a little painful.

The Hokage sighed, getting his pipe from his pocket. "Those two are bad as each other… Tiger, I expect… But Scarecrow?" A flame flickered on the fingertip of the weary Hokage. He lit the pipe with the tiny flame, before it flickered delicately and went out.

Taking a long, satisfying drag from the pipe, the Hokage walked inside, leaving tendrils of intoxicating smoke twirling in his wake.

Hinata's idea came back to her. She was surrounded by the elite of the elite, and the Hokage. Surely… one of them could help her a little?

Her immediate thought was the Hokage himself, but the Hokage had helped her enough and he looked a little worn down.

Her second idea was to seek Guy, as he was Lee's mentor. A terrifying thought popped into her head; what if he made her wear a green jumpsuit like Lee? And then cut her hair into some sort of blue, shiny bowl cut? True… she could find out what sort of toothpaste Lee used (Lee had refused to tell her) as she suspected Guy used the same, but… Guy and Lee had enough 'youthful energy' for the entire village. If she adopted their persona then there literally would be too much youth for the village.

The other three she didn't really know… and approaching them would be scary. There again, approaching Guy would be scary too.

"Hinata-chan, you need something?" the Cat masked ANBU asked, his face tilted downwards to see her.

Nerves shot through Hinata, but she ignored them. As much as she didn't like to speak to new people, the fact that someone asked her if she needed something was nice starter to a conversation. "N-no… well… You see…"

"Go on. You can tell me." The man encouraged.

"I've been trying to walk up trees but… I can't seem to stay on." Hinata frowned to herself; now that she thought about it, the rest of her chakra control exercises hadn't been going to well either. Well, apart from that branch incident, but that was instinctual she supposed.

"You've been trying that already? I thought that was for when you graduate the Academy?" The Cat masked man asked. "No matter. They take things slower now anyway since the Academy graduate age has gone up to 12."

"What d-do you mean?" Hinata asked; she hadn't heard a word of this.

"Well, the Village Council put it up because they don't like sending little children onto missions, they think it corrupts the child too much and causes problems in the future. They want kids grown up enough to do it instead. So no-one is allowed to graduate from Shinobi Academy until they are 12, no matter how gifted they are." The Cat masked ANBU suddenly chuckled. "Look at me, talking away when you've asked for help." He turned away and walked to the wooden wall of the house. "This is just like a tree… trust me." Hinata suspected there was a private joke hidden there somewhere… but she just couldn't put her finger on it.

Hinata closed her eyes and sent a steady stream of chakra to her feet, but she knew… something was off. It was like… her chakra just couldn't settle. It was always changing, always in motion. And it frightened Hinata; she had worked so hard over 3 years to get the skills she had now.

"Alright, I… think I know what's going on here." The voice of the Cat ANBU overrode her concentration. Hinata cut off the chakra flow to her feet and opened her eyes.

"It's… unusual to have this, but your going through _another _growth spurt." Hinata tilted her head, but said nothing. "Humans have 2 growth spurts, one when you're a baby, and one when you're a teenager. These growth spurts are what develops your chakra coils, as well as the rest of your body. Got me so far?" Hinata nodded and waited for the man to elaborate. "You have already had your baby growth spurt, but now you are going through another one. This growth spurt only affects your chakra system. It's very rare, and it will unbalance your chakra for a while. Your body isn't growing fast though, you'll keep growing steadily. But your chakra system is developing quickly again. " Hinata nodded again, she got all of this. But _why_?

"ANBU-sama, wh-why is this happening to me?" Hinata asked, truly starting to worry.

"Well, there are only two reasons. One, you've got abnormally large chakra reserves, and your chakra system is growing to keep up with you. Either that or your just lucky enough to have one."

"L-lucky?" The shadows of worry began to recede from her mind, and she felt herself relax and become excited at the same time.

"Yes, lucky. When this and your teen growth spurt are complete, you will have a _very, very _resilient chakra system, so you wouldn't have to worry about chakra burns at all. Plus, you will be able to push more chakra out of you than usual. It's a good thing." _Only Jinchuriki's have this… Kushina-san, Kami-sama rest her soul… submitted herself to tests to see how her chakra system was handling the Fox Spirits' chakra. Apparently she went through this when she had the Fox sealed inside her... so that when she used her chakra her system wouldn't get overloaded by the power. But why Hinata? She's not a Jinchuriki obviously. The Hokage has to hear about this. Naruto… hasn't had one at all. Was he… born with a resistant chakra system? There again, I've heard from Iruka his chakra control is beyond pitiful. So he could have already gone through his and we've not noticed. Maybe its due to her 'power' we saw back when travelling… or could it be something else?_

Meanwhile, Hinata was celebrating. Who knew her being unable to walk up trees could be a good thing. Her thoughts halted. The Cat man hadn't said a thing about _when _this spurt would be over.

"S-sir, when will I be… normal again?" Hinata asked quickly, fear filling her again. "I've already had two weeks of this."

"Two weeks eh? Another week or so will do it. Then you'll be back to normal again. Oh, and don't worry, your chakra won't be affected by the teen growth spurt. It's strange, I know." There was a rustling in the bushes and the Cat masked man turned to quickly to see who emerged.

Faces hid by the mountainous pile of wood they both carried, the two figures slowly shuffled over near Hinata, before dumping their load onto the floor. Hinata winced as the slabs of perfectly cut firewood knocked together; her senses really had improved thanks to the Mongoose's training.

"I concede defeat Scarecrow. It is a dent in my pride, but you have beaten me in this challenge. So now it's even." The disguised Guy bowed humbly to Scarecrow and then trotted off inside the wooden hut, giving Hinata and Cat a huge thumbs up as he went by.

"Even." Scarecrow mumbled, his mask facing the direction of Guy.

"Hinata-chan, dinner is in 30 minutes sharp, so don't go to sleep just yet." The Cat masked member informed the silent girl.

"Th-thank you so much Cat-sama." Hinata bowed deeply and went inside the wooden mansion.

_I-it looks like I might be able to get some training in after all. _But thoughts of training were put on hold as she inspected the house. It was huge, far from the small, homely flat she was used to. Everything looked natural, yet manmade. Hinata slid her fingers over the smooth wood of the banister. Maybe it was Naruto rubbing off on her, but suddenly she had thoughts of sliding down the almost silky rail. The corners of her mouth turned up in a melancholy smile. If Naruto himself were here, he would have done that already.

Heat rushed to her face, and she felt her eyes welling up. _D-don't get homesick so soon… one day… no, one __**hour **__a-at a time… _

After deep breath of fresh, sweet air that soothed her sadness, she sat in the base of the stairs. It was her meditation time.

The hardest things for a ninja-in-training to overcome are physical disabilities, lack of motivation, or, in Hinata's case, low chakra reserves. She had been born with a smaller than average chakra reserve, but working everyday (sometimes to the point of exhaustion) had expanded her chakra stores considerably. Hinata had also taken into account that her spiritual chakra and her physical chakra must be pretty even too, since she had studied a lot and her physical routine was quite demanding. Her chakra levels now were above average for her age, but still pitiful in comparison to a normal Genin or Chunnin. Even so, it seemed obtaining chakra was a long term thing, plus, she hadn't grown fully yet either. Hinata promised herself a lack of chakra wouldn't be her downfall right now, there would be nothing worse if she found out the complex workings of a high level jutsu, but didn't have the reserve's to perform it.

Hinata began by simply getting comfortable. Even though it was a wooden floor, there was always a way to get comfortable on something; especially Hinata was used to sitting on hard surfaces, her mattress back at home was pretty firm. Closing her eyes, the small, secret prodigy started concentrating on her body. Each little breath she took was counted, every steady thud of her heart registered, every small sound outside heard; from the pitter-patter of feet to the sloppy sound of something being stirred. From the heavy, rich scent in the air she guessed it was some sort of meat dish. Her stomach growled lazily, but Hinata ignored it. Before she had started up her herbal business, she had been making their budget stretch very far. That was hard because Naruto had a monster appetite and Hinata herself had a high metabolism due to her exercise regime. But, with limited funds you could only do so much, and so Hinata had slipped her food onto Naruto's plate from time to time when they had had less money; which meant he got a full meal. Hinata didn't mind the hunger; she'd been through worse than a few hunger pangs.

When her body had stilled and her mind was blank, Hinata started focusing inside herself. This was the fun part to her, when she entered this state of meditation she could almost _watch _her chakra being pumped around her body from the glowing indigo core of her heart. By meditating in this way, she learnt how her chakra naturally flowed through her body, which was helpful because it was harder learning chakra control when you were pushing against the natural flow of your chakra.

Also whilst she was in this focused state she could really _feel _people's aura's a lot better. She could even count them. There were two people outside (one had a metallic yellow chakra and the other a greenish brown) and six people upstairs. She could also feel the intensity of such auras. The Hokage's light orange was quite powerful, but somehow Naruto's dazzling blue aura was a lot stronger. Hinata had guessed that she would become desensitized to familiar people's chakra, but it was the exact opposite. The more she studied a chakra, the more powerful it felt and the easer it was to track. It was useful when Naruto was 'skipping' school, because she could take him back to the Academy to learn. It wasn't just hard to get the blonde to eat the right things, but he bunked off school too. Sometimes Hinata didn't know whether she was a mother or a sister figure to him.

Hinata was well aware that Naruto's education was suffering. When Iruka was not teaching, they had a different range of supply teachers. Mizuki was the worst; sometimes he just handed them a textbook and told them nothing. Many supplies would send Naruto out of the class, explain what they were being taught and then let Naruto back in after to do an exercise or complete a sheet he had no clue about. Other teachers (if that's what you could call them) would explain the lesson in such a complicated way that only a few bright students would get the gist of what they were on about. And as much as it pained Hinata to think it; Naruto wasn't the sharpest person out there. He needed _extra _simple explanations, something only Iruka was willing to give.

However, not all hope was lost. There were supplies that gave Naruto the education he deserved and Hinata was working on a way to teach him herself. All she needed was a technique that would make her a _real _clone, one that could pick up things and do jutsu and generally not be an illusion. One that would be just like her, and would be able to teach Naruto the things he was missing out on. Excitement bubbled at the pit of her stomach; if she came up with the thought of a real, solid clone then of course someone else would have by now. Once again, the advantages of being surrounded by the best of the best struck her again.

Unknown to Hinata, she was being observed very closely. Although, yes, Hinata could detect auras and start to feel emotions, she could never tell what they were doing. She couldn't feel the many eyes that scrutinised what she was doing.

_She's not an ordinary kid, is she? It's like… an adult shinobi trapped inside a child's body. _The silver haired ninja shook his head sadly. _Another child who had to grow up too fast… But even I don't know that much about her. All I know is that her parents are dead and she lives with Naruto… and a little about her powers. But for all my observant abilities, I can't figure out this girl at all. She's like one big mystery… Speaking of mysteries… I can't believe the plot twist in Icha Icha… _Kakashi (for that was the Scarecrow masked mans name) went off into his own little perverted world.

_Why, any experienced shinobi could tell that that girl has done that before… and for a very long time. I've heard she is also a most valuable friend of my adorable student Lee! Oh what a youthful girl! I must go and run in the forest to express my JOY! OORAH! _Guy suddenly jumped out of his room, over the balcony to the ground floor of the wooden house. It didn't even take a moment for the fitness fanatic to regain his balance before he took off like a shot into the forest.

"Tiger, dinner is going to be ready in 5!" the voice of the Cat ANBU shouted, and Hinata heard all movement cease.

"But how else can I burn off this most youthful energy?" Tiger's voice boomed back, startling some forest birds into an angry flight.

An exasperated sigh escaped someone's lips. "How about you go gather some water so we can all wash our hands?" Scarecrow answered, and then sounds of a page being turned reached Hinata's ears.

Not a second passed before Guy's roaring voice disturbed the forest once more. "Scarecrow put that unyouthful book away! We are in the presence of a child not yet ready to bloom into an adult!"

Hinata let out her own miniscule sigh. It was extremely hard to concentrate on the inner working of hers and others chakra if there was so much noise. Deeming the training impossible would be an overstatement, but she gave it up anyway and rose in a single motion. There was work to be done and Hinata was more than happy to oblige, she had felt guilty that she hadn't made herself useful yet anyway.

"E-excuse me… I-I will go and get the water if you wish." Hinata offered, taking delicate steps towards the masked men outside. "Since I-I haven't done anything useful."

"Hinata-san, you are on holiday. We are on a mission, albeit a very relaxed one. You don't need to do anything." The Scarecrow masked man told her gently.

"O-okay… I'll get out of the way now then." The shy bluenette bowed and started to make her way back into the hut, but a whoosh of air startled her. It brought back the painful memory of the gym, a whoosh of air… and a kunai. Instinctively, she ducked and sideways rolled, avoiding any harm that would come with the air.

Breathing heavily in fright, Hinata looked to see what would have hit her. It was Lee's mentor Guy; hand flat out in the air like he was going to pat something.

_She's fast… and frightened. _"Hinata-chan, I apologise most deeply for alarming you. That was not my intention. I was coming to stop you going because dinner is ready." Tiger said calmly, talking to her as if she was a frightened animal. The serious side of Guy startled her, but Lee could be sombre too sometimes.

"Guy is right though, dinner is ready. I am already back with the water." Scarecrow held up a full water carrier, much to Hinata's amazement. He proceeded to pour the water into a bowl before placing it on the floor and getting a stick half his body length. He drove that into the ground next to the water, got a pair of what looked like _tights _out of a backpack nearby and some soap. He speared the tights onto the stick and placed the bar of soap inside one of the hosiery's legs. He then proceeded to wash his hands with the tight covered soap.

"You have to make luxuries like soap last. If you were to drop this slippery soap on the floor, you would waste some of it washing it to get it clean again." Scarecrow explained to a quizzical Hinata. The girl stored this valuable information inside her head immediately, before cleansing her hands with the crude soap-on-a-rope too.

Dinner was served quickly, and the group sat in perfect silence (even Guy) hungrily devouring the meaty stew they had been given. Dancing flames illuminated the masks of the ANBU creepily, and by the firelight the Hokage looked more old and worn than ever, but it didn't bother Hinata. All she wanted to do was get a full stomach and sleep soundly.

She got her wish, bedtime was straight after dinner. The Hokage had gently rebuffed her offer for sentry duty, but praised her for trying to be helpful. A small hug and a pat on the head was what she got instead, and Hinata went to bed happy.

The bland, wooden walls of her sleeping quarters (she could never call it her room, her _room _was back home) made her feel closed in, isolated, but Hinata didn't let it bother her. Maybe the reason for her loneliness was the fact that she could always hear Naruto at night; his snoring reminded her that she was not alone. But out here, with only ANBU and a tired Hokage for company, things did feel slow and empty. Hinata could only hope it would change when she got to Suna. An entirely new town where the children wouldn't know her. A scary prospect, but an exciting one. The children in Suna wouldn't judge her for her lack of skills, her sleeping arrangements with Naruto or the fact her parents never picked her up from school. Suna could be a whole new playground, but there again; it could be a lonesome nightmare and all the kids could hate her. Banishing the depressing thoughts of rejection, Hinata tried to sleep.

All of a sudden, an elated smile stretched over Hinata's face. She wouldn't be alone at all. The mongeese were going to be here… that's if they didn't get caught.

With that thought in mind, Hinata's mind allowed her to rest and she slipped into a peaceful slumber.

xXx

Early morning sunlight beamed onto Hinata's face, waking her. The foggy mind of Hinata decided to try and sleep again, but a cooling forest breeze blew away the grogginess and her eyes snapped open. Throwing her arms back, the girl stretched long and hard, whining sleepily as she did so.

From the glassless window, it looked to be a beautiful day ahead… sun shining, birds chirping, smell of bacon… wait, bacon?

With food on her mind, Hinata jumped up and got dressed (the Hokage had kindly placed her Sealing scroll in her room) quickly. Her attire for today was a white short sleeved shirt, a short, light grey cardigan (Hinata was used to covering up her body and that wasn't going to change) and a pair of navy, baggy 3 quarter bottoms. Slipping on her shinobi sandals, the girl sealed her used hairbrush back into the scroll and strapped it securely across her back.

By now her stomach was roaring to be filled, so she dashed out of her sleeping room and down the wooden stairs. Her nostrils quivered as the tantalizing smell of cooking meats got stronger, and her mouth watered in anticipation. She hadn't had a breakfast that someone else had made for her in years… going all the way back to when she lived at the Hyuga compound.

"Good morning ANBU-sama, Hokage-sama." Hinata greeted, unable to keep her eyes off the sizzling food over the fire.

"A most glorious morning, is it not Hinata-chan? If only my adorable student was here to do some morning training!" Tiger greeted back, overpowering everyone else's chorus of 'good mornings' with his… youthfully… loud voice.

Hinata was about to reply, but the Hokage said something before she could respond to Guy. "Jiji, Hinata-chan, call me jiji. Or don't bother with titles and call me what you wish." The old man chuckled. "Naruto-kun does."

A wash of homesickness swept over the girl as she thought of Naruto's absence. He really was a big part in her life; he was always _there_, in the mornings, at school (mostly) and when she came home. His banter and general happy ways were sorely missed and Hinata didn't realise how much she had needed them until they were gone. Rumbling coming from her tummy snapped Hinata out of her melancholy thoughts. "Y-yes Hokage-jiji…"

"Hungry, Hinata-san? Bacon and rabbit on the menu today, along with some spaghetti loops." Scarecrow informed, gesturing to the pans of food he stood beside.

Guilt festered in Hinata's mind; she had hunted rabbits… never eaten them. The thought of eating something you took the life of… repulsed her. _Eat or be eaten… Kill or be killed. _Joe's words echoed through her mind so clearly, if it were not for her chakra sensing abilities she would have looked round. But she still couldn't bear eating rabbit, it had been the first thing she had ever slaughtered and her first kill was always the most memorable.

"Spaghetti and bacon please… no ra-rabbit." Her decision was final; rabbit would be off her menu. Permanently.

"Alright." The man served up her breakfast, and in the face of hot, good food, her thoughts just switched off and she just enjoyed the primal feeling of satisfying a need.

Once the meal was over, the Hokage rose from his seat. "We still have quite a way to go Hinata-chan, ANBU. 2 days if I'm correct. We leave in 5." In a massive blurry of motion, the camp was spotless and the wooden house seemed to shrink and feed itself through the Cat masked ANBU's hands. Well, that was one mystery solved. "Hinata-chan, are you up to this? I can have one of my men carry you if you like… I'm sure Tiger would relish a challenge. That is, if you can put up with his shouting."

"I-I don't want to be an inconvenience… I will try my best to keep up."

A smile stretched across the Hokage's face. "I'm glad that you want to try. You'll make a fine ninja one day. But, if it does prove too much, do not push yourself, just tell me. Do you promise?"

Hinata crossed her toes, feeling only a little guilty. "I promise." A challenge of her endurance was needed, the forest never truly wore her out, and she had never ran for more than three hours before. It would be a good test to see how far she had come.

The ANBU suddenly settled into the same travelling formation as yesterday; ANBU surrounding her with the Hokage leading the way.

"Same procedure as yesterday. Ready, men and child… Go!"

And so, the real trek began.

xXx

_2 days later…_

The trees were thinning out quickly, Hinata noted, and the dark soil she was so accustomed to was becoming gritty and light. She knew this as her travelling party were running on ground now. Up ahead was the forest clearing, leading out into an expanse of blinding sand. Right now, the forest resembled more of a scrub and bush landscape than a lush forest.

What really caught her interest was not the landscape itself; but the signs of life residing in it. One thing stood out in particular, there were smells not unlike her beloved mongeese everywhere, and occasionally Hinata's sharp eyes would catch the sight of minute paw prints imprinted in the grit.

When Hinata's eyes caught a brown pair of eyes staring at her through a random shrub, she came to an abrupt halt. The rest of the ANBU stopped with her, and the Hokage turned to address her.

"Hinata-chan?" The Hokage inquired, and Hinata had to think like lightning to make up a lie. Yes, she trusted the Hokage and his ANBU, but she had explicit instructions to keep her Mongeese and Meerkat summoning a complete and utter secret.

"W-well… the desert. It's in the middle of the day and I-I... it would burn our feet if we walked on th-the hot sand." Hinata answered, hoping her lie would cover for her startled stop.

"Indeed… you are right. It's far too hot to travel across this desert… not only that, but the wind is picking up and the last thing I want to do is get caught in a flash sandstorm. It's deadly to any ninja if they don't know what they are doing." The old leader rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Travelling at night would be the best option; the air is cool and the night clear. We rest for now. Well done everyone for going on this long." The ANBU knew that the praise was meant for Hinata and not themselves; they had gone on longer than this before. The child of the group really did deserve recognition for her efforts; not once had she complained about the pace of travel, the length they were travelling for or the shortness of breaks.

Hinata herself drank deeply from the flask inside her waist pouch (she had put it on on the first full day of travel when she had to stop the group to get a drink out of her scroll), replenishing any water she had lost by running. Plus, the temperature had been slowing but surely mounting as they approached Wind country, and now she was at the edge of the mighty desert, it was truly stifling. She could only imagine how sweltering it would be to be out in the desert itself with the sun full on her back and the glare of the sand making her eyes ache and water.

Once she had finished her water break, she stowed her flask away and flopped onto the mercifully cool floor. With a sigh, she concentrated on the auras around her, just to 'feel' what was around.

She was shocked by her findings.

There were no less than _43 _chakra signatures around her, not including herself, the travel group or insects. _43 _other beings around her, all pretty small and primal.

"Hokage-sama, shall we drive off the native Meerkats?" A boar masked ANBU asked, but the Hokage caught the mild anger on Hinata's face and ordered him to leave them be as they weren't causing any trouble. "We are invading their home after all."

Hinata relaxed, but just then, the auras came out of hiding into sight. In a single moment, Hinata was surrounded by no less than 43 Meerkats, each the size of a 30cm ruler. Most stood on their hind legs, classical human style, but some went on all fours, sniffing the ground around her most carefully.

"ANBU, put away your weapons. They will do us no harm." The Hokage's authoritative voice snapped Hinata out of her amazement, and she looked round to see the ANBU each in a fighting stance, kunai and shuriken ready. "They are only here to investigate us."

Movement in Hinata's peripheral vision caused her to focus back on the gang of furry 'investigators'. The alpha pair (she could tell by the way they lead the rest of the group, Joe and Hen worked in the same way) approached her slowly, sometimes going onto their hind legs and checking the surroundings with sharp, dark eyes. When they were within arms reach, Hinata cautiously stretched her hand out towards one. The creature froze and waited as the appendage came closer, inch by inch.

Hinata's pointer finger made contact with the mammals head, and found the fur to be rough but fluffy. Rubbing her finger in the smallest circles, she found its tiny ears to be as soft as silk, so she paid extra attention to them. It delighted the girl when the animal pushed against her finger, seemingly wanting more petting. A low purring rumbled from its throat, and Hinata softly mimicked the animals' sound (something she had learnt to do with the mongeese; she could purr, squeak, bark, growl and chirrup like they did).

The secret summoner stopped her gentle caress when something furry brushed her other hand; it was the other alpha Meerkat. It only brushed up once before going back to keep the rest of the group in check.

The Meerkat she had stopped stroking pushed at her hand before joining its partner at the front of the group. Then, all at once, the super-family of mammals scattered, resuming what activates they were doing before Hinata showed up.

Hinata let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. Her heart was thrumming fast in excitement and she couldn't stop a smile forming on her face. That had been the first contact with the Meerkats, and it had gone very well. Not only had the family approached her, the alpha's had submitted to her touch easily and brushed up against her, essentially 'marking' her as one of the pack.

"Well Hinata-chan, it seems you have a gift with animals. That said, Meerkats are extremely social creatures. They probably saw you as the smallest and least dangerous, so they investigated you first. You handled that well, most children your age would have squealed; they are indeed very cute creatures." Hinata only gave the Hokage a soft smile; she wasn't gifted with all animals, just her summons. She couldn't wait to tell her Mongeese family.

"The animals aside Hinata-chan, I would like to offer you a… opportunity while we are resting here." The Hokage told her, and Hinata inclined her head slightly in question. "As we are doing nothing else until the sun goes down, how about a little training? I'm sure it would make up for the school you are missing." Hinata nearly shouted in excitement; a lesson of the most powerful man in the Fire Country was _not _something you passed up on.

"I-I would love to Hokage-jiji!"

"I like an eager student Hinata-chan. I am aware of what you are studying currently; you are learning the Transformation Technique unless you haven't moved on from the Clone Technique." The Hokage drew out his pipe and lit it, inhaling deeply before continuing. "These two techniques, along with the Replacement Technique, are the foundation of any ninja. It is vital to learn these to the highest degree you can before moving on to anything else." Hinata felt slightly shamed, she had moved on to other things as soon as she gained decent enough control of her Clones. However, she was sure that her Transformation Technique was good; she had been using it for years after all. As for the Replacement Technique, well, she still hadn't mastered that, nor had she figured out where the logs came from. "Before we start the lesson, I would like to assess your abilities so far. Not only in Ninjutsu, but Taijutsu too. I know the Academy doesn't touch on Genjutsu, apart from how to dispel it. It's a shame, altering the surroundings to your liking is an extremely useful skill. No matter. When you are ready Hinata-chan, please would you show me what you can do. Attack me in any way you want."

Hinata was torn. Of course, there was no chance she would win, but she could potentially put up the tiniest amount of fight. However, that would require her to use her summoning knowledge, her Byakugan, her chakra 'tentacles' and all of her fighting prowess. On the other hand, to get a good lesson and to find out what she needed to improve on, the Hokage needed an accurate placement of her abilities.

She halved her Gravity Seal so it was now at 50 kilograms; over the past two years she had doubled her Seal weight. Two years ago it was at 50, and it was at 100, a fifth of the Seals full power. She slipped off her shinobi sandals (she really did prefer bear feet) and got into her stance.

_That isn't something I've seen before… the Academy doesn't have that style to my knowledge. So where did that stance come from? _Curious and slightly apprehensive thoughts came into the Hokage's mind.

Hinata took a step forward, fully using her 'stealth walk'. In the past two years, the stealth walk was something she constantly used now; unless in school lessons. However, outside of school (in the playground where her and her group hung out, inside the house or walking around the streets of Konoha) the 'walk' came naturally, and startling Naruto (who was admittedly, pretty stealth himself) was always fun. However, on this trip out, she had walked like a perfectly ordinary girl; not wanting to arouse any suspicion. But, since she had already shown off her 'tentacles' and a little of her speed and endurance, why not show off her walk too?

_She's walking differently; my ears couldn't detect the grass moving underneath her feet. She wouldn't be able to walk like that without proper instruction, and stealth walking isn't taught at the academy. That's a Chunnin upper level skill; Chunnin have got to learn that to assassinate. _Really wary now, the Hokage got into his own stance; originally he was going to wait for Hinata tomake the first move, but seeing her now, he was unsure. Slowly, still watching her every move (although she was perfectly still, a little unnerving), he stowed his pipe away into his pocket (after distinguishing it of course).

This didn't go unnoticed by Hinata; she was watching the Hokage's every thought and movement; he showed surprise, apprehension and a little pride in his features all at once.

Then, it all came back to her. Her chakra was unbalanced; it wouldn't even be a fair fight. Straightening up, Hinata raised her hand, asking permission to speak. She got it quickly, and the Hokage also lost his fighting pose to stand normally.

"S-sir… I cannot fight t-today. My chakra n-network is growing again."

"How foolish of me to forget! So we cannot do chakra work. Well… a taijutsu lesson is in order then. That style your using… I haven't seen it before. Where did you learn it?" Hinata froze in her thoughts, and then suddenly her brain whirred at a thousand miles an hour.

"N-nobody. I-I'm making up my own style of fighting. T-the Hyuga style was too r-rigid."

"Your own style? It's an extremely difficult task; to make and perfect a style you need to have years of fighting experience, imagination and a reason for that style. I'm very doubtful you alone have all three Hinata." The Hokage raised a greying eyebrow. "Unless you have been getting up to far more than I have seen."

"N-no, I do not have years of fighting experience." _Scar does… he's the main one who helps me. He has 300 __**years **__of experience. _"B-but I do have a reason… no other style works for me. I… needed a style that could use what I had to its fullest. As for imagination… I o-only need to sit down and think h-hard about wh-what would work."

"I see… I will not question further." Hinata relaxed a little. "For now." Hinata bit her lip; she couldn't betray the Mongeese. Not after what they had done for her. If she had to lie, then she would, willingly. "If you would get into your stance, we will begin."

Once again Hinata got into her stance, and watched the Hokage as he tried to copy her. She saw the strained look on his face, and frowned; the stance never hurt her.

_Why is this position so hard to maintain? She performs it with ease, but my old body is straining under pressure. I can feel it too; my centre of gravity is the slightest bit off. If I correct it… ah! That feels better! Still… my stomach and legs are crying out for relief. It seems the core muscles and leg muscles are vital for this to work. I wonder why though?_

The bluenette waited patiently as her leader corrected his position. Still, even though he was copying her stance to perfection, he looked uncomfortable. Hinata knew exactly why; the core muscles and leg muscles had to be developed and kept in good condition for the user to be comfortable.

Nerves attacked Hinata; she just wanted to get this over with. Not wasting any more time, she charged for the Hokage, who suddenly changed his stance into one he looked a lot more comfortable in.

_Alright… here she comes. She's fast, but I'm faste- What? _Hinata took another 10 kilograms off her Seal, and her dash instantly became faster. She was before the Hokage in an instant, and had enough time to make the first move.

_She's going for my solar plexus- ah! _It was true; the girl had gone for the stomach of her temporary teacher. But Hinata caught the Hokage moving to defend, so suddenly, she used all of her speed and balance to swerve round to the Hokage's open side and land a hard jab in his ribs. A short groan escaped the Hokage's lips.

He span round, but the girl had already moved. She was going for his other side, and once again, she changed at the last moment and decided to go for his arm instead. This time, the Hokage was ready to intercept both of her hits, but then she changed _again, _dashing round and jabbing the back of his thigh. _How did she get there? Surely her dash isn't that fast?_

But Hinata's dash was that fast, she had taken off her Seal completely, and was experiencing the full benefits of her training.

The sparring went on like this, the Hokage trying to foretell where her hits would land, only then to have her change her mind and go for another, completely different place. Now, to a Kage, that tactic would be easy to defend against, if he were using Jutsu. But, not wanting to seem unfair, the Hokage had limited himself, not even powering up his ordinary fighting moves with chakra. But his normal moves just weren't enough to keep up with her; his body was old and couldn't compete with the speed she was at. Nor could he bend and twist like she could. Whenever the Hokage got the girl into a position where she couldn't defend (which was often, her style wasn't anywhere near perfect) she would bend and flex in the most impossible ways, making him have to change his own course to land a hit. But by the time he had realised she had dodged and he had changed his attack, she had already regained her balance and was attacking herself, making him defend himself. It was by far one of the most unpredictable fighting styles he had ever seen; speed, flexibility and balance all combined together. And it all flowed really naturally. It was like fighting water. You think you've got it, for it to flow out of your grasp and attack you again.

However, the Hokage wasn't using his full potential, where as Hinata was doing everything to keep up with him. If the Hokage used his full Taijutsu prowess, this spar would have been over long ago. But going all out against a child (even one who was skilled) wasn't the way to gain an insight on their abilities. Although he could point out quite a number of flaws in her style; if she were to fully master it… It made the Hokage shiver with excitement.

Hinata herself was starting to feel exhausted. Her fighting had major flaws; one, because she was constantly in motion, whether it be to attack, feint or twist to defend, it took a huge amount of stamina to keep it up, especially at the speed she was at and the effort she was giving. Another flaw was that if one were able to predict her movement and match her speed, she would be doomed. This style relied wholly on unpredictability, catching the enemy where they least expect. She had little actual defensive moves, and almost no counter attacks. If she miss-calculated a dodge and was hit, she wouldn't be able to hit back because of her precarious position.

Time seemed to slow as the Hokage's fist came rushing towards her. She attempted to twist, but her muscles were screaming at her and her body felt as heavy as lead. The fist connected with the side of her head, gentler than she expected. Then a rush of power jolted through her temple and she fell to the floor, her body totally unable to move.

There was a moment to breath, and Hinata took in the air deeply and gratefully. Her breathing was so heavy that the air felt like it was rubbing the back of her throat, making it sore, and her heart pounded so hard that blood roared inside her ears. The heat from the intensity of the spar combined with the heat of the desert made it unbearable; so Hinata did something rather ungraceful. She tipped a little water over her head; she knew water was valuable in the desert but she felt like she would die if she didn't cool down.

"W-well Hinata-chan, it seems I underestimated you slightly. You must have been doing more training than I've ever seen. However, there are flaws in your style…"

And so, the rest of the day was spent getting advice from the Hokage and occasionally his ANBU, eating and watching the banter between the ANBU (mostly between Tiger and Scarecrow).

The day flew by, even though Hinata was in one place. As much as she liked relaxing (her Taijutsu lesson had only lasted 2 hours), she was excited when the sun went down. Not only would it get rid of the staggering heat (which had increased to impossible levels over the course of the day), it meant they would finally reach their destination, Suna.

When her group had packed up, they set out across the sea of sand.

Hinata gasped as she looked up at the velvety night sky; stars twinkled in the billions like glittering diamond, not a cloud in sight to mar the view. The moon was at its half, but it cast enough light to transform the sand into a silvery grain. As the Hokage promised, the night air was cool, and as time went on, it fell to freezing levels. Even wrapped up in jackets (she had three on, plus her shirt) her body felt chilled, but she didn't let it detract from the breathtaking view of the night desert. The expanses of slivery, rippled sand and the clear night sky was truly a sight to behold.

Her wonder increased further when a black dot appeared far on the horizon. They had nearly reached their destination.

A frustrating hour passed, and the city barely looked closer. Another hour, and Hinata's spirits had returned, they were so close to the city. Even in the vague moonlight, she could make out the tiny silhouettes of the diligent night guards and the size and shape of the spectacular buildings.

"Hinata-chan, I give you this ID pass so you can enter the city. Unfortunately, Suna are… how you say, strict. They will not hesitate to throw you out of the city without identification. Expect to be treated with extreme caution, and please, don't lose your pass." The Hokage handed her a laminated card with her photo, name, age and birthplace on. The card hung off a long, purple ribbon, obviously it was meant to be worn around the neck.

After some time, Hinata entered the city gates, full of wonder and excitement, pass round her neck. She didn't know that she was a walking time bomb, the 'demon' of Suna being the trigger.

Luckily for her, said demon wasn't currently in the guarded city that was Suna. But one day, he was sure to return.

And that would be the day drama resumed in Hinata's life once more. It would be the day she changed… forever.

xXx

And END! Whoa that was looooong! I hope you liked it, it took me an absolute age to complete because of all the little plot ideas going through it. I promise Sand sibs up next, really, I do! I just wanted to give you detail, I've never really read a story that goes into the whole camping experience of the story, unless its character romance e.g. sharing tents. Oh yeah, the fighting scene. I have no fighting experience whatsoever, so if the fighting is boring/physically impossible, don't take it too bad. I tried. If I failed, well, no biggie. It's not all about fighting, right?

Until next time, ingat! xx

*If you didn't know, Cat is Yamato


	17. Chapter 16

The Secret Prodigy

Hello again! This time the Sand Sibs do make their debut in my story :D I hope I've done them justice. And HOLY COW I'VE DONE 100,000 words now :0

Anyway, I was wrong. Its going even harder for me to update as am learning 3 years of math work in one year so I can take my Math GCSE next September, so I have a _**lot**_ of homework (that's pretty darn hard), plus I go to the gym (on Thursdays) and then Scouts (on Tuesdays) and a social life! But, I will try my hardest to keep going, I like writing and it makes me happy when you lovely people read it! x

Reviews! (I always love this part 3 )

**Chibichibi98**: Thank you! Do you know any other Hinata centred fictions? I don't really (apart from that Summoner one). Hope you enjoy this one; it took me an age 'cuz of school! Happy Reading! x

**ChocoRoseLuv**: Thanks, I have no experience with fights (I don't even like watching _real _life ones) so I just made it up really. School is a massive drag; I got a big English project (plus other homework in Maths, Art, French and more English) in the first week, so my writing time has gone down severely :( It's gonna be a looooong, draggy year for me too. But I can always escape everything and write :) Happy Reading! x

**Sumo is**: Really? You can buy them off the internet! The pantyhose soap-on-a-rope idea was from Scouts, we do it all the time on camps. Yeah, when I first used my scout style soap-on-a-rope, I thought it was really weird! Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Happy Reading! x

**Failure-chan**: I hope I didn't overload you there! I wanted to keep it interesting. Thank you, I wasn't confident on my writing skills in that area. I try :D Happy Reading!

**Nafsi-chan**: Yupp, deadly serious, I'm 13. Thanks, but I have read some pretty amazing stories on here that were written by people of my age! Thank you anyway. Kakashi + Guy= humour :D I love them and Guy doesn't get enough screen time! The purring and stuff becomes a little bit more important later on (hint)! Gaara… I have an excuse. You will find out okay? Gah, if Hinata married Gaara I would cry in happiness. And then laugh at Naruto 'cuz he's so dense to have not noticed her (even though I know what happens in the anime because I looked it up because I couldn't wait to find out, but I still don't know all the details). You will find out in time… Happy Reading! x

**Hinalover**: Great, I've accomplished my mission for that chappie then; keep it interesting. It was mostly banter and tiny details that help build up the story. Gai is… interesting to write to say the least. I made Kakashi serious because he is doing ANBU work; something that depresses him. He will be a lighter character when he's a Jonin sensei (he's just a Jonin now). Correct on Yamato. Lmao, pat of doom :) It was really Hinata dodging out of reflex because she heard a _whoosh _of air when Akane threw a kunai at her (if you get what I mean). I thank my muse for helping me write the spar, I was afraid it was boring or unrealistic! Gaara questions will be answered soon, promise! Thank you, and Happy Reading! x

**Eirdaru**: Thanks a lot :) Yupp, I've really wanted to put them in for a while but I didn't want to rush 'cuz it ruins the story a little. Happy Reading, and I hope I didn't make you wait too long! X

**SasuHina4evr**: Yeah, I took me an age to write but I was doing something like 1,000+ words a day (I couldn't find the time to write 1000 words a day for this, I'm not gonna lie). Serious men do do well with Hinata 'cuz she's so sweet that it brings out their protective side and it makes a good read. I've read SasuHina and I do like the jealousy that Sasuke has. I like NaruHina BUT not when it's all soppy mush 'cuz it won't happen like that in canon, or will they get together in like a week. Do you think my Hinata is OOC? I just wondered. Lol, a little argument with your imaginary Sasuke, always good fun :) Hope you enjoy, ja nee! X

Ps. No problem :D

**Chakira16**: I hope the detailed part is good :) I will need a few ideas on how Hinata AND Gaara will feel when they meet each other, but that's not until later. I still can't wait to write it, but I'm nervous about it! Probably when she becomes a Genin, she will then show her true ability(s). Anyhow, Happy Reading! x

**Faux Princess**: Woot! I've been wondering where you went :) Unfortunate, my internet used to play up all the time before we got unlimited. I hope I didn't make her unrealistically strong, like I gave her a huge power up out of nowhere (I mean, she has been training for 3 years now). I have a solution to that already; I just need to write it in! Anyway, I hope your internet stays stable, and Happy Reading! x

**TwiliFay**: Thanks, I was wondering whether it sucked or not 'cuz I don't do karate etc. Hmm, Kankuro huh? Well, I'll see how much I can kick his ass yet be his friend eh? I don't wanna overdo it; he's not actually that bad. Itachi has left because he had killed his Clan (apart from Sasuke). I DO have experience with camping (waves scout flag), so I'll be able to write about it better :) It's good that you liked it! Happy Reading! x

Enjoy everyone! x

Chapter 16

Moonlight softly flooded the town of Suna, casting weird and wonderful shadows on the barely lit ground. Hinata stepped in wonder and awe through the dark streets; intimidated by the sheer height of the buildings. If it weren't for the ANBU and the Hokage, she would have been afraid.

In retrospect, Hinata wouldn't have been in any real danger even if she were alone; the actual 'nightmare' of the town was away, and the little prodigy was more than able to fend off any drunken citizens who roamed the place after the bars had shut down.

A strange, dry feeling bothered Hinata's mouth and her eyes ached; she knew she was tired. It was strange really; she had been sitting down for most of the day and walking slowly for the night. It baffled her how doing so little could tire her so much. Stifling a barely concealed yawn, she wondered where she and her party were going to. All she was bothered about was getting to sleep, as quickly as possible. Preferably in a bed, she had been sleeping on a roll mat for a couple of days. She didn't mind of course, but it would be nice to have fresh, soft sheets again.

Hinata's lack of energy did not go unseen by the Hokage. Guilt festered quickly in his mind; he had been treating her like one of his ANBU since the spar. She had truly impressed him with her skills, and therefore failed to remember that she was still a child. It was something unforgivable; this was Hinata's holiday, not a mission. _This isn't the time to put pressure on her. She won this break, so it needs to be a break! Kami-sama she deserves it after what she's been through. _Quickly, the Hokage scooped up Hinata and placed her on his shoulders, happy that she didn't flinch or resist. He didn't want her rolling away like she did with Guy. Quickening his pace, Sarutobi searched hard in the dim light for the inn that they were supposed to be staying in. He let out a sigh of relief when he spotted it.

Meanwhile, Hinata clutched onto the Hokage's head, resisting the urge to squeal in delight (as tired as she was, it didn't stop her feeling things like excitement). She'd never been carried like this before, and she liked being this high up. A sigh came from her 'carrier', and she looked around. They were approaching a double-door building, hopefully some sort of hotel. It was unbelievably comfortable on the Hokage's shoulders, and his head made a really nice pillow. Waves of tiredness washed over her, and she gave into them.

Thinking of nothing, Hinata's eyes closed and then there was darkness.

xXx

"Hinata-chan." The girl under the covers groaned and turned over. "Hinata-chan… wake up now." Another moan and the covers stirred. From underneath the sheets a blue haired head emerged, not impressed that they had been woken. For once, she just wanted to sleep. It was warm and she had the luxury of fresh-smelling bedding again. Smells of lavender and chamomile filled her nose, and she inhaled it deeply. Then she noticed her throat was dry. Not just dry, it felt so raw she couldn't swallow. But then a bead of perspiration ran down her back, and a wave of unbearable heat hit her. Wiping the sweat off her forehead with an equally sweaty hand, she listened to what the ANBU was saying.

"Hinata, please drink this." It was Scarecrow who had been sent to wake her. The masked man offered her a glass of clear (hopefully cool) water, and she took it eagerly. As she gulped the thankfully cold liquid down hastily, Scarecrow spoke.

"Your body loses a lot of water in the night here due to the arid air, as you can probably feel by the sweat running down your body. Someone will wake you every morning with a glass of water, so you don't need to worry about a thing." Hinata nodded, still gulping the refreshing aqua, letting it wet the back of her throat. "When you are dressed, please come downstairs. Someone will take you to breakfast."

"Okay. Th-thank you Scarecrow-sama." Hinata thanked, setting the empty glass on the side. Her throat still felt strangely sore, even after all that liquid to moisten H

"Scarecrow will do Hinata-chan. I, like the Hokage, don't like stuffy titles." Casually, the man whipped an orange book out if his ANBU robes and walked out of the room, whistling to himself. Through the hotness of the room, Hinata wondered how he could wear such thick robes. _P-probably a Jutsu. _

Everything all came back to her; the lottery, the travel, the desert. She was in _Suna! Wh-why I am I wasting my time, a new town is out there waiting to be explored and I-I want to stay in bed! _the bluenette mentally shouted at herself; all the while unsealing some fresh clothes from her giant Scroll. Sweat drops ran down her skin, making her feel uncomfortable, so she had a quick sponge bath with the little water she had left in her canteen. Then, she got dressed.

Today's attire consisted of a plain, light purple kimono (with a dark purple sash around her small waist), white leggings and dark purple shinobi sandals (she never knew when she might have to run). It was modest, but comfortable and guaranteed to keep her cool as the materials were light in both colour and weight.

Brushing her morning bed hair into order (she didn't need to wash as she had done so yesterday, and she knew water would be as precious as gold here. The sponge wash she just had was probably forbidden, but she had been so hot), she walked to the door, swapping her hairbrush for the ID tag on the small table. She slipped it round her neck before rushing out of her room and down the unfamiliar hall. Feeling adventurous, Hinata leapt down the stairs in one graceful movement, landing only a little shakily on the wooden lobby floor.

Immediately she was swept up by a large figure with a notoriously _bright _aura. Since she already knew who it was, she didn't mind the fact that she was being carried. As Tiger rushed through the halls at a speed that was pretty much inhuman, Hinata just appreciated the cool breeze on her face. She was always one to try and look on the bright side of things.

Not 5 seconds went by before Hinata was gently lowered to the ground, the Hokage right in front of her.

"Good morning Hinata-chan. I hope you slept well, what with the rising heat. I would like you to have some breakfast, and then go out into the playground while I talk with the Kazekage. Okay?" The old man instructed her. Hinata nodded, and went off to the buffet to get some food.

The food was strange, not like Konoha's. Hinata got a small portion of everything, just to see what she did and didn't like. She didn't like the pickled vegetables, but on the other hand she liked the flat bread dipped in a bean, onion and tomato dip. Breakfast drinks were limited, it was either a really small glass of water or goat milk. Hinata, having never tried goat milk, opted for it. It was so different from cow's milk; she wasn't expecting it to be sweet and savoury at the same time. She gagged at the first mouthful, not out of disgust but of surprise. The second mouthful however, she was prepared and found the milk to be delicious, maybe even better than cows milk. Making a mental note to buy goat milk in the future, she finished the last morsel of her morning meal. After placing her empty tray on a stack of other trays, she followed the Hokage's orders and found the way to the playground, just outside of the inn.

Once outside, Hinata took a moment to appreciate the surroundings she would be seeing for an entire month. She had two main thoughts, it was noisy and hot.

The sky was ridiculously blue and there wasn't a cloud in sight to mar it, nor to filter the harsh sunlight. The sun was a blinding, _boiling _orb in the clear sky, mercilessly raining sunlight down on the sprawling town and its citizens. Waves of heat reflected from the ground, the windows, even the people; and it hit Hinata like an oven furnace, she could feel herself starting to sweat profusely. The people themselves were tan, clad in light cloth from nearly head to toe, and pretty much everyone had their head covered. They were rushing around, doing ordinary, mundane tasks much like the Konoha folk did. Occasionally Hinata would spot ninja among the crowd by the way they held themselves. She could pick out ninja from citizens; citizens would merely hurry around, often following the crowd they were in a flock, generally rushing around to get errands done; where as ninja would always be on the lookout, they had the sharpest eyes and ears and they observed everything around them to the closest degree. Not only would they look alert, but they walked in a way that reminded Hinata of a wary predator; waiting for chaos to strike at any moment. It did eventually, a child fell down amongst the crowd, but in an instant, a ninja passing by helped him up and placed him out of harms way. Then, everything returned to normal.

All in all, it was beautiful, but already Hinata missed the moister, fresher air of her forest home, not to mention there wasn't a green plant in sight.

Walking through the small, plant-less front garden of the not-so-small inn (every sandstone built building in this desert town seemed to _tower _above her, there again, she was only a tiny child), the little prodigy looked around for this playground the Hokage had spoken of. Screams of excitement came from her right, so she followed them and lo and behold, she found the playground.

It wasn't much; a swing on a tree (which Hinata was immediately drawn to) and a large expanse of sun baked dirt. But the children happily playing inside made it look like a real park.

Hinata made her way over to a group of girls who were playing hopscotch; it had been one of her favourite games when she and Ino used to play together.

The group of girls stopped and looked at her, but then their eyes glazed over in fear. They all took a step back in unison. _I-I'm not th-that ugly am I? _Hinata thought to herself sadly.

That's when she caught two more aura's entering the designated playground area (there was no fence). She frowned to herself as they both drew closer; one had a fiery, red aura with… what seemed to be grey flashes in it. Hinata deduced that person was strong and competitive, but was in constant fear. The second person's aura was much more sinister, a dark shade of blue-green, but also, with flashes of grey. Slightly sadistic, but like the red, in constant fear. _Who are these p-people? _Hinata spun round, and to her surprise, a tall, dark haired boy with the blue-green chakra* and purple face paint was right behind her. He was wearing a black, full length body suit, with the hood up covering his brown hair. Two cat like ears were on top of the hood, giving him the appearance of a black, painted, grumpy feline. Accidently, she stumbled forward and pushed the boy back.

High pitched gasps rang around the playground.

"Run, blue girl, RUN! Kankuro's demon brother will get you!" one child shouted.

The boy in front of her scowled, face made all the more menacing by the face paint. Hinata figured he was Kankuro. "Pfft, stupid kids. I don't even need that _thing _to help me deal with _you_." Kankuro took a large step forward, closing in the gap between him and a cautious Hinata. "Punk, you think you can push me around 'cuz you're from Konoha?" Hinata opened her mouth to apologize, but she was cut off. "Shut it, scrawny. Don't you dare get cocky with me."

"Kankuro, she's only a little kid. And she's with the Hokage. If you attack her, Konoha might not take it well. C'mon, don't you listen in the politics lessons we have?" A blonde girl with her hair in 4 spiky ponytails said. She was wearing a white kimono (a better choice for this type of heat, how the hooded boy coped in a black body suit was beyond her) with purple edged sleeves, white knee length leggings and some blue shinobi sandals.

"No I don't. The hag that teaches us is a right boring old fart. I wish our _dear _brother would take care of her so we don't have those stupid lessons." Kankuro replied harshly.

The blonde girl gasped. "K-Kankuro! You don't mean that! Plus... we aren't supposed to talk about _him _around the villagers; they are scared enough as it is!"

"Why won't you say his name? It's Gaara. And as for the villagers, who cares? We might as well be like Gaara because no one will go near us!" The boy glared at some nearby cowering kids with considerable venom. "And don't give me that 'we should be nice to them' crap either, we tried that and they thought we were gonna take them home for Gaara to slaughter!"

_W-who is this Gaara everyone's so afraid of? Th-the whole village is scared of him… like they are of Naruto-niisan. And those girls called Kankuro-san's brother a demon… is he like Naruto? _Hinata mused, keeping an eye and an ear alert to see what the two siblings were saying. "Jinchuriki…" Hinata whispered to herself, and the two siblings went quiet.

"What was that kid?" Kankuro growled, eyes shifting over to Hinata.

Hinata was relieved that she had the chance to speak. "I-is your niisan a jinchuriki too?" Hinata used niisan, as she assumed he was older since Kankuro had used the word slaughter. Surely only an adult would kill enough people to make a village fear him?

"Not niisan. He is younger than us." The blonde girl addressed Hinata properly for the first time. "Anyway, you have a jinchuriki brother too?"

"Does he try to murder you in your sleep?" Kankuro asked darkly.

"Kankuro!" The blonde scolded, but her voice was blocked out.

_N-no way… he's younger than them and he strikes fear into people's hearts… he's killed… He's not like Naruto at all. The village hates him; and the worst he does is prank them. They deserve it after all… but taking lives is another matter entirely. Konoha is lucky Naruto isn't like this 'Gaara'._

A hand waving in front of her face snapped the small bluenette out of her train off thought. "Alright, 'cuz you have a jinchuriki brother I'll assume because you're not dead that you can take care of his bloodlust. Either that or you're just a lucky punk." Kankuro shrugged casually. "Anyway, this conversation is old. Don't get in my way again brat or I won't be as kind next time." He turned away and walked past his sister, not even casting a backwards glance to Hinata.

"Sorry about my brother, he's a little… gruff. But I promise he's a softie on the inside." The blonde girl apologized. But then, like her brother, she strode off without looking at Hinata.

Just when the two siblings disappeared from her sight; the Hokage approached the playground. Hinata happily skipped over to him; the atmosphere was tense since the two older kids left and she was eager to leave, at least until everything went back to normal.

"Ah, Hinata-chan. I see you've met the Kazekage children. There is a third… but he's away from the village on a… mission." Hinata gritted her teeth; they were sending a child on a mission! It was like suicide… _no! Th-the Kazekage wouldn't try to kill his own child? _

Images of her angry 'dad' flashed through her mind; a father could plot against you, Hinata knew all to well.

"Hinata-chan" Hinata snapped her head up to meet the Hokage's eyes. "The Wind and I have some more negotiations and details to discuss, so I would like you to go around town sightseeing for today. Please, follow me and I will take you to your escorts."

Dread washed over Hinata as she followed the Hokage; she could detect two very familiar chakra signatures with one more powerful one, just around the corner of the inn. _Don't say I have to go ar-around with- _Kankuro and his blonde sister stood beside someone who could only be described as the Kazekage. Clad in white and blue robes with his face covered up by bandages, the Kazekage was an imposing and mysterious figure.

Kankuro's dark eyes narrowed dangerously as he caught the sight of Hinata standing behind the Hokage, where as the blonde sister of the angry boy looked uneasy. The purple painted boy turned to his father, mouth opened as if to protest, but a cold, disciplinary glare made him close his mouth.

"So this is the lucky child who got to visit our humble country." The Kazekage said slowly, brown eyes scrutinizing Hinata to a degree where she felt uncomfortable.

"G-good morning Kazekage-sama." Hinata greeted, bowing low to the leader of the town. When she straightened from the bow, the Kazekage seemed a little less suspicious of her. _I-it's probably my stutter that ma-makes me seem weak. And the fact I can't me-meet his eyes. H-he is one to watch out for. _Hinata thought to herself; suppressing a shudder as she felt his aura. It was a twisting, deep purple; paranoia and power radiated from him. He was a cautious man, but Hinata detected hints of nobility in his chakra too. It was really bizarre, to be able to _feel _nobility, but Hinata could somehow do it.

"Children, I am sure you will treat our guest with respect and kindness. Don't disappoint me." The Kazekage ordered in a voice that made his two children flinch. Hinata felt deeply sorry for them; once upon a time she had a father who talked to her like that. Well… maybe a little more harshly, but still, she could empathize with what they were feeling to an extent. "Be back at 3 for training. Until then, escort the Konoha visitor around our town. Dismissed."

Hinata felt the air move as her Hokage crouched down and whispered into her ear. Her body tensed out of reflex, but she did nothing. "I apologize for leaving you like this, but I am sure you will be able to handle the situation if it gets… out of hand. I hope you have a lovely time Hinata-chan. You may go." Hinata nodded respectfully to the Hokage and bowed to the Kazekage once more before following the two Kazekage siblings that had already gone off without her.

When her 'escorts' were out of sight of the two great Kage's, they both whipped round to face Hinata. The blonde girl was about to say something, but was interrupted by her brother.

"Alright, listen brat. We'll show you around; but don't get in my way. Stay behind us at all times, unless you want to get trampled on. You got me?" Even Kankuro's advice seemed like a threat, but since Hinata had had experience with her father and his brutally cruel speech towards her, Kankuro's words didn't affect her at all. This caused some unease in the Kazekage's eldest male child.

_She's a stuttering friggin mess, but my talk doesn't make her flinch even a bit. This squirt is weird. _Kankuro brushed it off and began to stride into the crowd. The blonde girl seemed to take pity on Hinata, so she grabbed her hand gently and pulled the bluenette along.

"I'm Temari." That was all she got out of the girl whilst she was being pulled through the massive throng of people. Hinata was barged a couple of times (and she never got the chance to apologize), but she was used to it since the crowds in Konoha when the summer sales come around were pretty violent. She'd even seen a fight break out over an expensive set of kunai.

Temari and Hinata broke off from the crowd eventually. Hinata took in the building before her; it was made of large, sandstone blocks, and a double door entrance invited her inside. Stuck to some of the walls of the building were pictures and posters of puppets, and underneath were small texts of writing that were too far away to read, even for her. Hinata's ears caught the sound of applause coming from inside the building.

"Aww, Kankuro, you can't be serious?" Temari sighed, looking at the building with boredom clear on her tanned features.

Kankuro smirked slightly. "It's a massive part of Suna's culture, not to mention one of our primary military arsenals. Plus, they got a new show on today; it's called Pirates of the Suna Sea. I've _got _to see it!" The boy said, excitement pouring off of him. However, his happy demeanour changed when he saw Hinata. "You _don't_ have problem with this, _do you_ squirt?"

"N-no. I want to see what this i-is. I would love to go in-inside." Hinata replied with genuine interest.

"Wait, you don't know what this is? At all?" Kankuro asked, surprise written all over his face. Hinata shook her head in the negative. "It's only the greatest theatre in all of Wind! The shows here are so realistic, because instead of human actors, there stars are puppets! You get all of the bloody action, with no-one getting hurt!" Kankuro suddenly quietened down, as if he remembered who he was talking to.

Temari sighed beside her and went into the building after her brother, Hinata followed suite. A great deal of excitement swelled up inside Hinata, she had never been to a theatre before. It would be a completely new experience for her, and she was looking forward to it. Sitting down after buying her ticket, the bluenette bounced her legs in anticipation, much like the Kazekage's son next to her.

The curtain rose, and the show begun.

xXx

_(2 hours later…)_

"That was so c-cool!" Hinata gushed to Temari, walking out of the theatre. The plot of the show had been about if the Suna desert wasn't a desert, it was a sea instead. It was realistic, funny and the puppets were amazing. True; she could see the chakra strings that controlled them, but she learnt to ignore it through the show. She had whooped, screamed, clapped and stamped with the audience, and although Kankuro wasn't the nicest person she had ever met, once or twice he had sent a smirk over in her direction. It melted into a glare every time; but a small smirk was better than nothing right?

Temari had a small, genuine smile on her face. She had been very quiet for the duration of the show, clapping only in the right places. "It was alright."

"It w-was amazing! Th-thank you Kankuro!" Hinata thanked, flashing a wide smile worthy of Lee himself at Kankuro.

"Alright brat, calm down." Kankuro's words seemed gruff, but there was a miniscule smile on his painted face too.

"Well Kankuro, since I had to sit through that, it's my turn to choose." Temari looked at the sky. "It's about 11, so we are going to do an hour of shopping before lunch."

"You can t-tell the time by the sun?" Hinata asked, wide eyed. That would be a useful skill; she didn't have the money for a watch.

"It's kinda an all round skill in Suna, because if we had an outside clock the metal mechanics working it would expand in the midday sun and contract in the cool night air, making the time wrong." Temari explained.

"C-could you teach me sometime?" Hinata looked to the floor; she didn't like asking for help, it wasn't because of her pride or anything, she was afraid of getting rejected.

Luckily for her, Temari was nice. "It will only take a second Kankuro." Hinata looked over to Kankuro tapping his foot impatiently. "Anyway, the longer we take on this the less time we have to shop." Kankuro's dark eyes stretched further open in realisation.

"Take as long as you like." He muttered, sitting down in the shade.

"Thought so. He hates shopping; he'd much rather go build something than buy it." The blonde shook her head, making her four ponytails glint brightly in the sun. "Alrighty then…" Temari launched into a short explanation about how the sun rose from east to west, and the period for sunrise and sunset was about 12 hours. So if the sun rose at 6am in the morning, it would set about 6pm at night. The period in between is easy to divide by 12, one section being one hour, so you can tell what the time roughly is by the position of the sun.

When the short lesson was over, it was Temari who lead the way through the town, Kankuro and Hinata following close behind. Kankuro didn't grab Hinata's hand like Temari had, but he stayed close, hopefully so she didn't get lost.

"Temari… if we're going where I think we're going, _I'm_ going to actually kill myself." Kankuro groaned.

Temari turned round and through the crowd Hinata could see a large, smug smirk on her face. "It's a massive part of Suna's culture, not to mention one of our primary military arsenals."

Kankuro muttered curses underneath his breath as they broke out of the crowd. In front of them was a small, dingy shop, displaying fans of all colours, designs and sizes. It was labelled _Fan in the Wind._

Temari grinned at the shop and without any further ado, ran into it. Hinata followed, eager to feast her eyes on the beautiful range of ornaments.

A delightful, almost familiar tinkle rang delicately through the air, reminding her painfully of home (more specifically, the Yamanaka flower shop). Before she could brood on the thought of home, she was warmly greeted by a wild haired man.

He walked up to her; odd, grey, windswept hair bouncing around on his tanned head. He gave her a wide, wrinkled smile, and Hinata was relieved, it was the first full, nice smile she had gotten from anyone in this village. "Well hello there, young lady! I haven't seen you around in these parts before. Budding young Wind Mistress eh?"

"N-no sir, I am a visitor from Konoha." Hinata replied shyly, only just managing to look into the man's dark brown eyes.

"Our friend Konoha eh? Well, not to some people... No matter, no matter eh? Come, what brings you to my humble shop?" The man had a raspy, yet strong voice, filled with age and wisdom. His aura was a pleasant, light blue; friendly and calm. It was a change from the fearful, darker auras of the Sand Siblings.

"She's just looking, Mr. Gekko." Hinata froze. _Gekko… as in… Tomoke Gekko? _Thoughts of the kind, old lady who she had given the cold remedy to filled her head. Ms Gekko had lived alone, and she had always requested that Hinata call her Tomoke. But, on her gravestone, she had had _Gekko Tomoke _carved into it. Tomoke had never mentioned any family at all. Was this man just a coincidence?

"U-um Mr. Gekko?" Hinata whispered, catching the old mans attention. "Do-do you know Tomoke Gekko?"

A heavy, long silence fell over the room of the small shop. "Sh-she lives?" Mr Gekko whispered, dark eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Not a coincidence then. "No… sh-she died a few winters back." Hinata made her voice as soft and soothing as possible.

"Sh-she was my fiancé." A tear leaked down his face, and suddenly, his face seemed to screw up in grief. "E-excuse m-me."

"I-It's okay sir, she had a comfortable life." Hinata said, remembering how Tomoke's days were peaceful since she had created the herbal remedy.

"N-no… she would get ill in the wi-winter… I remember…" The old man sniffed. "Damn that snake. It's all his fault." Mr Gekko's tan leather shoes scuffed loudly against the wooden floor of his shop as he shuffled behind his counter and whipped out a box of tissues. He blew his nose, sound echoing like a trumpet.

"Sn-snake sir?" Hinata questioned softly; Tomoke had died of a cold, not poison. Hinata would have been able to pick up poisoning straight away.

The grieving man lowered the soggy tissue from his reddened nose. "Y-yes." There was a long, hard silence as the owner of the fan shop composed himself. "About 16 years ago, Wind travelled to Konoha for a Chunnin exam. I came, and it was there in Konoha that I met Tomoke-chan." The man let out a watery chuckle. "She was a tough lass, age of 39 and single, like me. We fell in love quickly." A small, sad smile graced the mans features, before slipping into a mask of anger and despair. "Th-the night before the exam finals, the exiled Sannin of the Leaf came back to Konoha. He kidnapped Tomoke from our room… I had just proposed. She had said yes, just before that snake took her." Tears rolled down the leather like cheek of the man.

"Mr G-Gekko… you don't have to tell us anything y-you don't want to. Y-you don't have to hurt yourself li-like this." Hinata fretted, looking at the broken shop owner before her.

"The kid is right sir, don't do this to yourself." Kankuro added, dropping his 'tough guy' attitude.

"You should go and grieve in peace Mr Gekko…" Temari softly said, placing a small, brown hand on the man's shaking shoulder.

"No… No!" Mr Gekko replied loudly. "Konoha l-lass… you knew her didn't you? Someone deserves to kn-know why she died." A deep breath was taken in by the man, before he went on. "_He _experimented on her… played with her insides. Tomoke… my dear Tomoke… returned to the village as a weapon. That _snake _had toyed with her body, and had planted a disease inside her. A disease that the Sannin Orochimaru wanted to spread amongst Konoha. This disease made her weak against one thing. The common cold." Hinata was starting to piece things together, bit by bit. Colds in summer were non existent in Konoha; but wintertime brought the sniffles out on many people. Hinata had just assumed Tomoke suffered a little worse because of her age (even though she was only 55).

"Bu-but why?"

"You haven't learnt about Orochimaru… they won't teach about him in your academy. He was… s-simply put, a mad scientist with a vendetta against the Leaf. He tried to wipe out your entire village b-by using my Tomoke as a vessel for his disease. If the disease spread across Konoha, every man, woman and child would be weak when the winter came round, since their bodies wouldn't be able to fight off the cold properly. K-Konoha would be easy for him to take. But… it went wrong. The disease he created didn't spread from one person to another through contact. The only way the disease would spread was through family… genetics. If my de-dear Tomoke ever had had a baby… the child would have had her disease… if not worse. " The old man flopped downwards, onto a chair that Hinata couldn't see. "To stop the disease Tomoke had, she was not allowed to have any children. To… make sure she didn't… they sent me back to Wind… so we couldn't raise a family… or even get married. I haven't been allowed out of this country since." Mr Gekko held his face into his hands. "A-and now… she's gone. I haven't been with anyone s-s-since… All because that _snake _wanted to destroy your town." The man howled in pure grief. "I d-d-didn't even ge-get t-to say good-goodbye… The cl-closest thing I g-got to a farewell wa-was when the Konoha med-medics dragged me away from h-her."

"M-Mr Gekko… I-I'm so sorry. I can o-only say this… she really was comfortable when she passed. She went in he-her sleep. I found her… wh-when I was giving her something… she had a long life sir, I-I think the Konoha medics helped her… she didn't pass away until last year. I th-think Konoha came up with a sort of… medicine to make her a little better." Hinata tried to console the man, but he just ended up crying harder. It was true; Hinata had found her closest client; peacefully resting in her bed, no signs of life. It had been a scarring experience, and she had told no-one about it. People would wonder what she had been doing over there in the first place.

"Th-thank you little one… f-f-for helping my l-love…"

Hinata felt a hand clench hard on her shoulder. "Brat, it's our cue to leave. Temari will take care of him." Temari nodded silently when Hinata looked at her and walked around the counter and disappeared into the back of the shop. Kankuro (somewhat roughly) pulled her out of the shop before she could see what Temari was up to; but Hinata respected that Mr Gekko needed space. Hinata herself had wanted to get out of there; she had felt so _angry_.

_Orochimaru… You killed Tomoke-san… And tried to destroy my home. I-I vow on Mr Gekko's tears of grief, I __will__ get you one day. I will get you like you got Tomoke. _Unusually dark thoughts spun through Hinata's mind and she wished she could see what the murderous traitor looked like; just to imagine what his face would look like when she killed him.

Soon though, Hinata's thoughts changed into slightly less twisted ones; she had been sickened by the horrible ideas and even more sickened that she could think of them in the first place. She wasn't a bad person… so why was she thinking like one? That's when Hinata learned something. _Grief does horrible things to people… It changes them. I can't let people grieve… I have to… become strong… so that I can prevent the events that cause grief that will turn to revenge. But… I am only one person… Wh-what can I do? I can't save everyone… _

"C'mon snot, its lunch time. But after a talk like that, I ain't got an appetite for food." Kankuro said with something like sadness on his face. It was hard for Hinata to tell with all the face paint.

Hinata was nervous about being left alone with Kankuro. She wasn't really peckish herself but she wanted to get on Kankuro's good side. It wouldn't help her at all if her only tour guide hated her. "W-well we could go to the th-theatre again…"

Her tours face changed a little. The painted boy seemed to chew it over for a while, emotions playing across his face. When Kankuro's features set into a look of finality he replied. "Fine. I got money. Tem will be able to find us easily; she'll assume we went there anyway. You still got dosh squirt?"

Hinata nodded, and Kankuro immediately set off for the theatre. Hinata was fully concentrating on the crowds movement for two reasons; one so she could nimbly avoid being barged (or barging anyone, but her being able to unbalance anyone accidently was unlikely due to her small stature), and two so her mind would wander a little from Mr Gekko's grief. However, Hinata's mind wouldn't settle into musings of comfortable nothingness; the vow to kill Orochimaru burned through her attempts at calm thoughts completely, as strong as any physical brand.

Watching the puppet show took her mind off things, she even had a little fun. The novelty of watching puppets move hadn't worn off, but Hinata concentrated on how the strings moved and which strings did what this time; being the observant, cautious child she was. She never knew when she might have to fight a puppet in the future, so if she could learn to predict the movements of the chakra strings, puppets wouldn't be a real problem. Well, that her theory anyway.

After the show was awkward, Kankuro had nothing to say to Hinata, and Hinata was too afraid of quite frankly pissing Kankuro off to make idle conversation (it didn't help her social skills with new people were very poor); she had barged him once and he looked ready to murder her. If that was Kankuro's temperament, Hinata shuddered (literally, despite the scorching heat) at what Gaara would be like.

Hinata drew off the enigma of the third Kazekage sibling and focused on what time it was. If her novice ability of sun reading was correct, it was roughly around 2-ish. Kankuro informed her of this, before walking off without a sound. Hinata followed, ever the curious child she was, to see where her grumpy guide was off too.

The pair ended up back at the inn. A wave of heat rushed over Hinata all of a sudden and she tentatively touched the top of her head. It was scorching to her finger tips, and now she focused on her body, she knew something wasn't right. Her head had been pounding all day, but she assumed it was just from the glare of the sun, but now she knew it was the symptoms of something much worse. She had also ignored her aching muscles throughout the course of the day as she had thought (wrongly) that it was merely fatigue from the journey here. And now she was paying the price for her ignorance.

Dizziness started distorting her world and she stumbled forward. Pure muscle memory kept her from falling to the ground, but then another flood of wooziness came, and she fell to her knees. The heat from the ground hit her face like an open oven, and it took all of her strength not to faint.

"Hurry up brat! Squirt? Wha- oh crap!" Kankuro's voice sounded so far away to Hinata, which she knew was not a good sign. She was going to lose consciousness soon.

As her body was lifted by her panicked guide, the lids of her eyes began to close. Trusting that Kankuro would get her to safety soon (despite his indifference to her); she retreated from the heat into nothingness...

xXx

Yeah… that took an abnormally long time, but I swear down teachers are out to get me right now. The amount of homework I have is insanely cruel, plus if I spend all my time writing then I go stir crazy. Anyhow, I know I cut it a bit short, but I needed to get this little chapter ended so I could give you something to read.

*Chakra and aura are the same things okay.

I won't make Kankuro all gruff, don't worry. Just remember that the whole village treats him like a disease because of his brother and he's got power because his father is the Kazekage. So he's gonna be a bit off an ass until he warms up to Hinata or Hinata proves to be stronger than him. I tried to balance 'bad man' and kind person in him, please tell me if I got it right.

Anyhow, until next time (which unfortunately might be a while!) ingat! x


	18. Chapter 17

The Secret Prodigy

Hi again! Special thanks to all that favourited, alerted and reviewed. I'm glad people like the way I portrayed Kankuro, and I am taking in everyone's ideas into account.

**Spoiler (for this story, not the real manga/anime)**

Oh yeah, a lot of people are asking about Gaara! Yes, I love him too, but he can't come straight in to the story when she's just begun her time in Suna! He will come as the climatic ending to the Suna arc.

One last note – Please don't kill me for my _**extremely**_ late update – I know the last time I updated it was last year. Life, school, family and tiredness have all contributed towards my tardiness, I am extremely sorry for this. Please don't give up hope on me just yet but updates will be slow.

Anyhow, Review Time! Take Note that they were written last year near Christmas so they are a little out of date!

**HinaLover**: Ahaha, I'm really glad you like it so much as to read it again! I'm trying to keep it slow and steady, I like it that way I just hope everyone else does too. I'm a little stressed right now with studies and well… life, and I haven't had much time to write, what about you? Are you alright? Thanks for this review, it reminded me I still had a story to write lol! Happy Reading! x For your second review, I'm sorry, I haven't abandoned anything yet I promise! x

**Nightraze**: I try to, but my life is hectic and Christmas is… well Christmas! Happy Reading!

**LoveOverHate**: I'm a little lazy too sometimes so don't fret. I'm happy if my readers are happy, and it's nice to have such lovely feedback. I'm also very happy when readers aren't too bothered who the pairings are; I don't want to disappoint. And I don't know what to say at your praise; to be honest I first expected readers to really criticise my writing but all you've done is support me. Unfortunately, I have to take my time right now; school is gradually getting harder and now its Christmas already I haven't had the time to sit and think. I love long reviews also, the longer the better (as long as its not too much spam lol). Happy Reading! x

**Tough Chick**: Lol, no don't haunt me I'm slightly superstitious! Happy Reading! x

**Jiin-Chan**: Wow, all the way to where I've got up to in one sitting? That's dedication :) I see you've written some stories too, so I bet your writing is great too! Thank you very much for your lovely review, I'll keep writing but it takes ages now. Happy Reading! x

**I love Hinata**: Honestly I try and update, it's really hard though. Thank you so much for the recommendations, I'm sure I will get round to reading them all :) Happy Reading! x

**Chakira16**: Great, it was a little but filler-y so I tried to detail it to make it a little more interesting to read. Thanks, and Happy Reading! x

**BlazeStryker**: Good, it was the theme I was going for for him :) Happy Reading! x

**Dark-Poems**: I have no words for you apart from thank you :D Oh, and get some Kleenex? JK, but the menthol ones are really nice. Anyhow, Happy Reading! x

**Kaila Azroth**: Lol, thanks :D Gaara will come into the mix, just read the spoiler thing. Yeah, it's not very nice making miserable/disturbing/cruel things happening to her all the time, but she gets stronger with each one. Thank you, your words made me go all fuzzy inside XD I want other Hinata stories to pop up; it would be nice if people really focused on her a little more as a shinobi not as a stuttering Naruto fangirl. You don't sound like a geezer you sound like a very nice person :) Happy Reading! x

**Themis Decima**: Thanks, I'm reassured a bit more by everyone else's reviews too. Wow… did I make it that obvious? Yeah, its part of the plot but shhhhsh, don't tell! Sames, even though I'm going to be writing it! It's okay to forget their names or about them, but they will be around quite a lot so you will probably be able to name them off by heart by the time this story is done. Why, thank you very much and Happy Reading! x

**Evil-x-Love**: Never? Really? I have a few times, but he was really mean and unlikeable. Hopefully I didn't do that here. I will try to keep it up! Happy Reading! x

**ChocoRoseLuv**: Me neither I'm itching to write it! You'll find out what happened to Hinata this chapter! Why, thank you! I do try! Yeah, it was only a little inspiration flash anyway. Happy Reading! x

**StarDustX**: Its okay, I just like it when people review because I really like seeing what people think of my story. Its not really necessary for readers to review, but it gives me a motive to write. Awww, I'm glad I made your day :D Happy Reading! x

**Naruto-Neko**: Yeah, something like that. Good job on your observational skills :D Thanks, and its no problem if you forget to review! It's not like I'm gonna go flame you or something! Yeah, I have to write in the mornings (and that's only about for 5 minutes) and then if I get all my homework done (or I'm not off out somewhere) I write. I feel your pain… stupid school, getting in the way. *Sigh* I suppose it's important though. I wanna make people super happy, that's why I write! Happy Reading! x

**Eirdaru**: I will update, I won't let this story die out just yet! Thank you for the compliment! Tem didn't get a big part and I don't know how to portray her. Ideas? Yeah, I think I just need to put her in a little more I suppose to get a feel of her character. I have no idea how the ANBU are supposed to act, plus they want to be kinda disciplined and efficient when the Hokage is around so they would be a little bland I suppose. Sorry about that. Err… I couldn't find out about the two's masks so I made them up. I like descriptions in stories because most Fanfiction writers don't put them in, they just get straight to the point and it's a little… blunt for me. I will try to update okay! Thanks for your helpful review and enjoy this chapter! x

**Nafsi-chan**: Thanks, it's nice to have someone who understands! Good good, just tell me when anyone gets OOC okay? Yes… and there's a little nugget plot thing that I'm going to put in later. Alright, sorry to say this but he wont be in here for a couple of chapters because I need to write about her whole experience in Suna with the meeting being the climax :D Wrong about the symptoms, Hinata's powers didn't activate. It's quite a boring reason, but I needed to end the chapter. Same, they belong to each other… poor Gaara, he doesn't have any girl (Matsuri is a BIG NO NO!). Yeah, he's a bit of a brick head but y'know. I will try :D Happy Reading! x

**Faux Princess**: Really, why didn't you expect a tough Kankuro? Yeah, I felt sorry for him when I wrote him. Orochimaru, sneaky little snake, I just wanna kill him. Too bad he would probably molest me or use me for experiments. Ah, good you remembered his age! Makes my job easier! Nope, I go gym (to get fit and tone up) so I'm a little stronger than most girls in my year, but I've never trained in fighting! Lol, I thought I was too nervous to ever post something up on here, but I got over it and look what happened! I bet you would be a kick ass fighter! Ingat, my lovely little Filipino friend, and Happy Reading! x

**SasuHina4evr**: A little OOC but not too much? That's good for Kanky then; he's a little hard to write because he doesn't get much screen time! Anyhow, Orochi doesn't come up till later, but there will be action etc. Happy Reading! x (The Deidara sign is pretty awesome! :D)

**Avasaya**: Good, I wanna give him 'tough guy biker' image, it kinda suits him! Mr Gekko and Tomoke will come up again later, just a little back-story inspiration flash I had! Happy Reading! x

**Failure-chan**: Yes, yes they are. I've had science tests, wrote 2 stories (for English), countless math homework's, French homework, yet more English homework, history and geography homework and scouts, gym and social life. At least I get some relief from writing! I try! Happy Reading! x

**TwiliFay**: Yeah, Temari ain't all tough (to me anyway… although she could whoop my ass easy!). Well, I don't know whether he's gonna get his butt kicked but I'll try. I kinda like our old friend Kanky! Happy Reading and take care too! X (they are going to meet I promise!)

_**Happy Reading Everyone! X**_

Chapter 17

The first thing that Hinata became aware of was a feeling of coolness. It was very pleasant, and she was tempted to drift right back off to sleep. All she could remember now was that it had been agonizingly hot, then there had been in a little pain and then… nothing. Just when unconsciousness began to take hold once more, a voice startled her out of her relaxed state.

"Suna… Kankuro… heat stroke." The half awake bluenette caught snippets of conversation, and she snapped her eyes open. She immediately closed them again, the environment was a blinding white and her eyes had not adjusted to it. Most carefully, she squinted and little by little, her sensitive optical organs adjusted to the bright light. She was in a hospital room, which didn't surprise her. By the time the wooden door had opened, Hinata's sight was unclouded and sharp. Two Kage's, accompanied by a sullen Kankuro, walked in.

"Ah, Hinata-chan? How are you feeling? You gave us quite the scare, you had a heat stroke. Kankuro-kun here saved you." Hinata bowed low to the painted boy even though she was sitting, but Kankuro's attention was fixated on the floor. "But, in hindsight, it's my fault. I didn't teach you much about Suna before we came, nor how to protect yourself from the heat. For this I am dreadfully sorry… we will have to sort out that matter once you are discharged from the hospital." The Hokage apologized, while the Kazekage watched with narrowed eyes. Meanwhile, Kankuro continued looking to the floor as if it were the most engrossing thing he had ever seen.

"N-no… I should have been smart enough Hokage-sama, to know about the heat. I th-think with all the fun I was having with Kankuro-san, I forgot about it." Kankuro darted his eyes over to Hinata once before they meekly returned to the floor. Now that she was fully awake, Hinata noticed Kankuro's aura was dimmer than usual; its usual sinister tone was all but gone and grey fear had replaced it. There was nothing for him to be afraid of… Humbled maybe, he was in the presence of two Kage's, but terror should not be radiating from him. Well… he did have a… strong father figure, but that should only make him respectful, not afraid. Hinata suppressed a sigh; there was too much fear in this town. Her thoughts were going to elaborate, but the Kazekage spoke.

"My doctors say you shall be out of the hospital soon. When you are discharged, someone _capable _will show you around and make sure you are _safe_. I think one of our ANBU will be _observant _enough to know when something is wrong. We don't want anyone _getting the wrong idea _if you are hospitalised again." Hinata noticed that Kankuro flinched when the Kazekage put emphasis on certain words; she was starting to piece together the cause for his sullen fright. The leader of the Wind must have… talked with him. Not only that, but the foreign leaders words caused some unease within herself; it was like the Kazekage was being too careful about harming her. Of course, if she were to be harmed, relations between Konoha and Suna will be a little strained, so she could understand why Kankuro's imposing father was going to such measures for her security. Not only that, the Hokage would keep a closer eye on the Kazekage to make sure he wasn't planning anything. Anxiety thrummed through her body; she shouldn't be thinking political thoughts like this, she was on holiday!

"I th-think Kankuro-san and T-Temari-san were very good guides to me sir… It was my own f-fault. Pl-please don't be mad at them." Hinata quietly begged. She didn't mind taking the blame for anything; it wasn't like she was going to live with the Kazekage, unlike Kankuro and Temari who would have to put up with the Kazekage's rage at home. She even bet that after this ordeal she wouldn't see him this close again, so it wouldn't matter if he were angry at her.

There was a heavy silence as Hinata's words sank into everyone's heads. The quiet was just becoming borderline uncomfortable when a blonde doctor walked in. Of course, the Kage's didn't even flinch (and Hinata was used to being aware of her surroundings so she had heard him from a mile off) but Kankuro twitched slightly, and finally his eyes darted to his father a couple of times before wandering around the room. He really looked to be on edge around the man he called his father.

"Miss Hiuga" Hinata tried not to flinch as Kankuro suddenly focused his dark eyes off the bare-looking plant in the room to stare at her. _Well he does have politics training… he must have heard s-something about my former Clan. My name does sound the same to theirs after all… _"I can see now that you are fine after your ordeal. I suggest you stay out of the sun at midday for the rest of your trip, drink plenty of water and wear light clothing. That is all I can give you; just try and bear the heat. I've already signed your discharge papers, I expected you to be up and about soon. You seem like a strong little girl." The blonde doctor smiled gently before bowing to the two powerful men in the room. He then left, his white coat swishing behind him like smoke as he turned round.

"Well Hinata, since you have the all clear now, I bet you're craving to see the rest of the city." Hinata twitched in anticipation; she had only seen a small portion of what the town had to offer but that portion had excited her greatly. "However, night is dawning quickly. You slept for an entire day."

Ultimate letdown. Hinata's small body seemed to deflate; her stupidity had cost her a whole day of her short visit. Well, it was a month but Hinata knew how quickly a month could fly by. This was a short visit to her. The year she had had since the incident with Akane had been one of the best in her life, and had all but flown by. She had friends, a stable source of income (her reputation amongst Konoha as an herb mistress was now legendary, even though they didn't know it was really Hinata. Hinata just hoped no-one would put her absence along with the absence of the herb woman together and figure out her identity. She didn't want attention), a surrogate family of Mongeese and of course, Naruto; not to mention that she was coming on well as a ninja. Yes, it had been a peaceful, fun and fulfilling year. It was also one of the quickest years of her short life. If this visit was going to be as fun as her past year, this vacation would be over in what would seem like a week. Unfortunately for her; the beginning of her holiday wasn't going to be fun at all… neither was the end.

But Hinata didn't know that now. Currently, she was strolling down the long corridor of the hospital halls, Kage's and Kankuro by her side. She had a slight stomp in her step and a small sulk on her face; someone could have mistaken her for having a temper tantrum. She wasn't exactly, but she was grumpy that she had missed out a whole day of exploration. And being the girl she was; she blamed herself. Hinata concluded that her first full day in Suna had been somewhat of a disaster, but hey, there's always tomorrow.

Too bad tomorrow would be just as bad. Worse even.

Eventually, the cold Kazekage and his equally stony faced son bid goodnight to the Hokage and Hinata. Not long after the pair of Konoha souls found their inn. Relief coursed through Hinata's body, she just wanted today to be over already.

Keeping an open mind about the future of her trip, the oblivious Hinata snuggled down into the covers of her bed as whispers of chilled wind snuck in through the glass-less window. Due to her little fainting session today, she had been asleep for a long time and her muscles were aching for release; she needed to exercise. How strange it was, to crave movement. Hinata hadn't known exercise had been such a part of her until she had stopped moving.

Shivering as the covers fell off her small body, Hinata got out of the warm confines of her bed. As quickly as she was able, she got dressed into warmer, but still light clothes. Once she was done, she held her hands up in a position she hadn't done since she had come from Konoha.

There was a miniscule wisp of smoke as an illusion of a young, brown haired woman covered the bluenette's true appearance. Inspecting herself to make sure that she had done the Jutsu properly, she nodded to herself in the small, face mirror hung up across her room. Satisfied with her work, Hinata jumped onto the window ledge, not even needing a second to compose herself as she leapt out of inn onto the nearest buildings roof.

Cool night air rushed through her hair as she ran across the flat roofs of the desert town. A wide, unrestrained smile graced Hinata's face and after five minutes of non-stop running she halted her movement and just took the time to think.

Hinata's breath was taken away, not by exercise, but by the sight before her. Stars, along with the light from peoples houses lit up the entire town and the moon shone its waxing light over the town also, so intricate shadows appeared everywhere. Over the rocky military wall the silvery desert stretched forever and beyond like a never ending sea of quicksilver. But despite the beauty, Hinata was worried.

Of course she didn't want to have anxiety on her mind, but a lifetime (excluding this year **so far**) of trouble and woe had given her a paranoid edge on her already nervous disposition. Hinata knew she analysed things too much, read into things that didn't concern her, but she couldn't help it. If it plagued her mind, she would think about it. So far, the main things that bugged her were Mr Gekko, the mystery of the third 'Sand' Sibling and the Kazekage's demeanour towards Kankuro and herself.

She found herself looking at _Fan in the Wind_, the lights were on and her eyes could just make out the silhouette of Mr Gekko himself. Over the drunken shouts of citizens being thrown out of the local clubs and pubs, her ears caught a loud crashing come from the shop. Without thinking, Hinata dashed forward towards the shop, Mr Gekko's safety fully on her mind. A small part of her mind remembered to discard her Transformation illusion so Mr Gekko would recognise her.

Without warning, Hinata burst through the shop door, fully ready to fight.

The sight of a suitcase was not a sight she expected. Nevertheless, Hinata's mind tried to figure out what was going on.

Fans, of all sizes, colours and textures were scattered everywhere, some utterly destroyed, and others fully in tact but merely out of place on the grubby floor. Judging by the bare money-draw the old, red cashier register had been emptied entirely, and the only paper Hinata could see was from the torn books also on the floor. A distant part of her mind raged; books were a mine of knowledge, she had snuck around to get her hands on the most basic of volumes, when here, on the floor, a wealth of information lay destroyed. But her vision was really focused on the wild haired man stood amongst the destruction, hands holding an admittedly small wad of cash. Dark eyes impossibly wide, the withered form of Mr Gekko stumbled forward as if to greet her. Quickly as her body would allow, Hinata saved him from falling flat in his face; he had caught his foot of a ripped fan.

Mr Gekko shot out of her steady grip, and Hinata let him go willingly. Immediately, the man shoved the money in the suitcase and struggled to zip it up.

"M-Mr Gekko?" Hinata breathed over the frustrated grunts of the rushed elderly man in front of her. "Wh-what is going on?"

"No time, no time, they are coming for me. I've gotta get out of here, quickly, quickly! Why won't you close!" Mr Gekko shouted at his suitcase, still trying in vain to shut it.

Stepping forth lightly, Hinata went to help. Her eye then caught a pile of envelopes spread almost shockingly neat across the desk. Each one had a splash of red stamped on them, and the crimson words were enough to make Hinata feel fear.

FINAL NOTICE!

Hinata had only once seen an envelope like this one. It was when she had paid the rent, but the rent collector had bumped up the price of her apartment because… Naruto lived there. The next day she had received an envelope like this one, demanding money… or a list of threats written after the sum would be carried out. Of course the Hokage had sorted it out, but straight after the whole ordeal Hinata had requested permission to set up a bank account in the Hokage's name (Hinata feared that if she used her own name, someone could interfere with her account). The Hokage had agreed, and now Hinata's bank had enough money in it to keep her and Naruto afloat if something were to happen.

One letter demanding rent had shook Hinata into a state of panic; Mr Gekko had at least 11 letters. And that was only by a rough estimate of her eye. Hinata could only imagine what Mr Gekko was feeling; or just how much he was in debt. No wonder he looked ready to… ah.

He was running away.

"Th-there are people after you aren't there M-Mr Gekko?" Hinata whispered, and somehow the panicked old man heard her and just stopped dead still.

"Yes." A straight one word answer was all Hinata got before Mr Gekko grabbed his finally zipped suitcase and sprinted to the door. Once again, the man stopped still.

"Revenge has a heavy price. Remember that child." The words hung heavy in the air as the door slammed shut. Mr Gekko had gone, and as the shop's door bell tinkled through the air, Hinata tried to piece it all together.

People were after Mr Gekko. He was on the run, and she was worried for him because the more in debt someone is, the more they are hounded. And judging by Mr Gekko's flight, he had racked up a tremendous bill.

Although Hinata wanted to run free through the town, the matter of Mr Gekko was far more intriguing (and frightening); Hinata wouldn't be able to concentrate on the beauty of the city with something like this weighing on her mind. Grabbing the numerous warning envelopes, Hinata took on her illusion once more and slipped out into the quietness of the night.

Muscle memory kept Hinata from stumbling into her room, but not even muscle memory could keep her from collapsing on her bed. She wasn't tired, just drained. It had been a hard day (even though she had slept for most of it), and emotional fatigue was beginning to take its toll.

She would have gone to sleep then and there, but someone was going to wake her in the morning with water, so she had to get changed as not to arouse suspicion. Groaning in resentment, Hinata dragged herself off the bed (which strangely felt more comfortable when she knew she had to get out of it) and quickly undressed and redressed in her night wear. The envelopes on her bed also had to be hidden, so dragging up the mental energy Hinata lifted the mattress up off her bed a placed the letters underneath. Hopefully no one would go snooping in her room; they had no reason to anyway. She was just a child after all.

A distant part of her mind screamed at her to not be so stupid and turn the letters in but… two things stopped her. One, was the Hinata was far to curious as to what was going on with Mr Gekko and no doubt that if she handed in the letters she would be kept out of the loop. The second reason was self preservation. The Hokage's would know she had been out after hours and that she could slip away at any time undetected. Security measures would be taken to keep an eye on her and that would limit what she could do. So she would keep this little secret.

Slipping into her temporary bed once more another groan left her lips, this one of contentment. At ease knowing that she didn't have to get up until dawn, Hinata let herself drift off into peaceful darkness, hoping tomorrow would be a better day.

xXx

The massive crash of a door being thrown open blasted through Hinata's small room, waking her with a startling shock. Not a second did she have to compose herself before a green flash darted past her bed and rested beside her.

"GOOOOD MORNING ON THIS MOST GLORIOUS DAY!" Even though her 'alarm clock' had a mask on (tiger to be exact), it did nothing to muff the exuberant voice behind it. "I SINCERELY HOPE YOUR YOUTH IS OVERFLOWING TODAY LITTLE LADY! AS QUICKLY AS YOU WILL ALLOW, LET ME SERVE THIS REFRESHING DRINK TO REPLACE THE MOISTURE YOU LOST DURING YESTERDAYS MOST CHALLENGING NIGHT!"

Over the ringing in her ears, Hinata's mind could still process what was being said. Well, bellowed. _Th-that is way too much excitement for morning time… or any time for that matter…_

Groggily, Hinata accepted the cool drink and drank gratefully, the dryness becoming present now that she had woken up a little.

"Alllllriiight! Our esteemed Hokage would like you to be up and ready soon to meet your new escort! With that, I bid you a productive and most youthful day!" Hinata coughed a dry giggle as Guy did the good guy pose, teeth pinging brightly in the morning sun streaming through her curtain less window. Then, in another flash of leaf green that reminded her strangely of home, he was gone. A small part of Hinata worried she was turning antisocial for she was glad to be left alone in peace.

As Hinata dressed in her heat sensible clothes, her thoughts wandered back to last night. As much as she tried, Hinata just could keep her gaze off the bed where the letters were stashed. _One look won't take too much time… _

The rookie 'detective' lifted up the mattress again and with relief saw the letters to still be there. She picked out the most recent one and found the envelope to have already been opened, so neatly it looked like it hadn't even been touched. The other letters hadn't been opened, only this one so Hinata drew to a conclusion that Mr Gekko had only opened this one to see exactly how much trouble he was in. The bluenette flinched; he must be in a whole lot of trouble to be running like that.

_**LAST CHANCE!**_

_Mr T. Gato_

_Loan Services_

_Gato Companies_

_Land of Hot Water, Kobe Port, Yuhi Street, Gato Company_

_H66 O6T_

_13th January 2005_

_Mr Gekko_

_Loan Number: 236598_

_Original Loan: 25000000 ryo **(£250,000)**_

_Compound interest per year: 29.2% _

_Years (and rising…) since loan: 25_

_Amount currently paid: 40000000 ryo **(£400,000)**_

_Amount due: 15088296210 ryo **(£150,782,962 OR 150 million, 7 hundred and eighty two thousand, nine hundred and sixty two pounds)**_

_Mr Gekko, it has come to my own personal attention that you have only paid 40000000 ryo back since your loan in 1980, and have failed to repay the interest rate I charged. This is not acceptable. I gave you plenty of time to arrange the payments, but it seems now my generosity was wasted. I do not care if you are unable to pay me back, the debt will be payed whether it be in money, objects or blood. More specifically, yours._

_If I do not receive my payment within 5 months, a face-to-face meeting will be in order. And I can assure you, it won't be pleasant. I will be forced to take action against you. You will lose everything, your home, possessions and life. If the debt is not payed, you will suffer greatly. That is a promise. _

_This is the last letter my company and I will waste on you. Final chance._

_I look forward to receiving my money. If my demands aren't met then I cannot wait to meet you in person._

_Yours Sincerely_

_Mr Gato of Gato Company_

Blood swiftly drained from Hinata's face at the amount Mr Gekko owed. She had never seen so many zero's! How exactly could one man use 25000000? And the amount of debt… she nearly fainted! The Mr Gekko Hinata knew lived in a very humble shop and well… his attire didn't exactly scream wealth. Hinata speculated (more than a little out of it) that owing that amount would do that to you.

The threats, although no details were specified, also chilled Hinata to the core. She wasn't even the one on the true receiving end of this menacing letter and already she wanted to run away from that letter, or burn it so its words couldn't frighten anyone ever again. All that she could comfort herself with was the fact that she knew who was going after Mr Gekko. A man named Mr Gato… she recognized that name.

Hinata was aware that the Hokage couldn't provide for her forever, no matter how young her physical appearance may be; she had lost her childlike innocent view on the world a long time ago. She had grown up so quickly mind-wise, and knew that people did get into debt. The little incident with her own 'final warning' bill had taught her that, and in her terror she had gone to the library seeking help.

Enlightenment of what to do when the inevitable happened came in the book _Shinobi Life: Getting past Genin_. Although she couldn't understand some of the more complex sentences, the book had shed light her a little on the subject of adult life. For example, unless under extraordinary circumstances (like having a demon inside you, Hinata had guessed), neither a Genin nor an Academy Student under 13 is not allowed to live in a household without a responsible adult to look after them. But the age of a 'responsible adult' was different for civilians and shinobi, a civilian's legal age (where they could buy drinks and be a carer etc) was 18 where as a ninja's coming of age was only 15. Not only that, but if you were a Chunnin under 13 you were allowed to live alone because you were considered capable enough of taking care of yourself. But that was only little details; Hinata had found what she had really been looking for about halfway through the book, a chapter labelled 'Loans and Debt'.

She had started to grasp the concept of loaning, but what had really caught her attention was the subsection named 'Sarakin's and Yamakin's'. Recalling the information now, Hinata remembered that Mr Gato had been under the sarakin section. And the simple definition of sarakin was a loaner who you didn't want to mess with. They allowed one to take out a massive sum of money and then they demanded insane amounts of interest (that were just below the maximum legal limit) till the sum became un-payable. Then… Hinata swallowed. The book had brushed on the subject of punishment, no gory details but enough to leave her scared. It was really lucky that the Hokage had been on her side and it had only been a small scale bill, otherwise Hinata might have died worrying.

So, to sum all it up, Mr Gato really was trouble. And Mr Gekko was in the trouble.

Suddenly, footsteps approaching her room snapped Hinata out of her shocked daze and she moved with inhuman speed to put the envelopes back where they belonged. She had only just finished adjusting the bedcovers when someone knocked on the door. Hinata's aura sense picked up that it was the Hokage, and she relaxed a little and tried to cool her face with her hand. She was human after all and blind panic did fluster her.

"My Hinata-chan, you look like you have seen a ghost!" The Hokage was right in a way; a ghost of the figures Mr Gekko owed kept haunting her mind. "Yet, you seem so flushed! Pray tell, what is wrong little one?" The brown, concerned face of the Leaf leader gazed at her, expectant for an answer.

Hinata struggled to find an answer. "I-I… er… d-don't feel too well…" In her uncertainty, Hinata stuttered more than usual. Luckily, her stomach growled and gave her a real excuse as to why she looked like a deer in the headlights. "I-I can't remember the last time I ate, H-Hokage-jiji… I feel d-dizzy."

"Well, I will remedy that in no time! I do hope you are adjusting to the Suna cuisine, it took me a while to get used to it… especially the milk!" The Hokage said as Hinata followed him out of her room and down the stairs. A combination of the Hokage's presence and no longer being under the Hokage's scrutiny relaxed Hinata, but not enough to forget about those dreaded letters hidden underneath her bed.

"-I know goat's milk is supposed to be more nutritional than cow's, but I just can't seem to get my taste buds to accept goat. Or my mind for that matter!" The Hokage chuckled and Hinata joined in even though she had only just tuned into the Hokage's chatter.

"I-I prefer go-goats milk… its sweeter to me." Hinata replied quietly, happy that she didn't miss anything important whilst she was thinking.

At the dinner hall, the ANBU bowed their heads to the Hokage and nodded in Hinata's general direction. As she was getting her breakfast (flat bread, salad and something called falafel. It looked rather nice and smelt even better, and she hadn't seen it on offer the day before) she asked the Hokage (who had accompanied her to the buffet) why the ANBU was still in uniform and masks. She was merely curious; it was a holiday after all.

"Well Hinata-chan, I am unarmed and it's safety protocol for any Kage to have weapons on them unless accompanied by armed ANBU members. It's a gesture of goodwill that the Kazekage let me and my ANBU come and stay here, and you of course. And it's a goodwill gesture on my part to keep my ANBU in line and come unarmed to any meetings we have. It's just a trust matter. Nothing to get worried about. They seem to be having a good time, even though you can't see their faces." Her Hokage answered, casually helping himself to some flat bread.

Hinata nodded noncommittally and finished selecting her breakfast. The Hokage strolled to the ANBU's table, plate full of food and Hinata followed suit.

Breakfast was a quiet but comfortable affair, the inn Hinata and her party were staying at was expensive enough to be comfortable, but humble enough to not be famous and attract too many customers. Her experience was only slightly marred by the fact that Guy was sitting next to her and she was quite afraid of another outburst of 'Youth'. It was not something she needed when she was eating her falafel at roughly 8 in the morning. She was used to Lee's exuberance, but Guy was on a level far beyond Lee. Hinata (with some fear) realised that Lee was one day going to be exactly like Guy, so she might as well get de-sensitized to Guy now. Fortunately the usual exuberant man was quiet, devouring his morning meal with a hearty gusto. Breakfast in general was a quiet and relaxed affair, much like yesterday. That was, until the Leader of the desert entered the dining hall.

All mindless chatter stopped amongst the patrons of the hall, and all eyes were turned respectfully to the Kazekage. Luckily, he didn't seem angry. There was just a proud haughtiness to him that seemed to suck the warmth out of the air.

The Hokage was the first to move, the scraping of his chair breaking the heavy silence. Hinata (as she was sitting next to the Hokage) could see her Lead ruler give the Sand a small smile in greeting which wasn't returned. Hinata wasn't surprised that the Kazekage didn't smile back; he didn't seem like that type of person.

"I didn't expect you to meet us until noon, old friend. What brings you to us so early this morning?" Sarutobi asked cautiously, whilst Hinata tried to read the emotions of the foreign Kage.

Her conclusion was… mild annoyance and traces of unease. But what could possibly make a Kage uneasy? Hinata could only think of one thing… but it was so small scale that no one really should have noticed. Unless Suna's population was smaller than she thought.

"There was a disturbance in the night; one of my civilians has gone missing." Hinata took a sharp intake of breath and held it while the Kazekage's dark eyes swept over her form. They held her gaze for a moment before the Sand ruler moved his penetrating gaze away. "We've been investigating the scene and found some… rather interesting things."

"I see… And so your meeting this morning is going to be held off, hence why you came to me." Hiruzen finished slowly, saying the words like they were a statement and not a question.

"Indeed. We have much to discuss. Our lucky visitor has an escort outside waiting for her." The Kazekage turned to Hinata, no emotion in his eyes. "You will have a chance to see the desert today; no harm will come to you this time; your escort is sure to take care of you."

Before Hinata could give her thanks, the Hokage spoke. "I hate to rush you into this so soon, but the Kazekage and I have to get working soon. Boring grown up stuff. Have a lovely day in the desert Hinata-chan; I'm sure you will learn lots. Who knows, you might see the mongeese again." The elderly man smiled down at her, every wrinkle in his browned skin made clear by the movement. Hinata tentatively smiled back, knowing that it was the Hokage's way, albeit kind, of saying 'you need to go'. With a low bow to the Kage's and the Leaf's ANBU, Hinata left the hall. For some reason, she felt all eyes on her, but quickly discarded that to the back of her mind. She didn't really feel pressure that she had been in until she had left the room though.

Letting out a breath of relief, the prodigy child wandered down the halls, letting her memory guide her to the entrance. A figure appeared out of no-where when she was a few metres away from the entrance, making Hinata tense up in fear.

Still tense, Hinata assessed the man before her.

He was a very tall man, with a muscular build and dark, tan skin, not without its scars. He had two distinctive, red markings on the right side of his face, the only visible part of his head, with the rest being covered by a white, turban-like head gear and by a sheet hanging from it on the left side of his face. His eyes held no particular warmth, but Hinata could detect any dislike in them either. His mouth was thin, and set into a small, tight smile. Hinata let a frown ghost her face for a moment; she would rather spend time with a man true to himself than one who was forcing himself to smile at her. His attire was of little consequence; a standard ANBU flak jacket and a Sand forehead protector tied tightly round his head, holding his turban in place.

Taking a small step forward, the stranger began to speak.

"Allow me introduce myself. I am Baki, and I shall be your guide today." He had a pleasant, gravely voice, and spoke his words very clearly. "On the agenda for today is a trip across the desert to the water facility we have there. It's a routine check-up, and a way for you to get out of the city for a while."

Hinata controlled her expression, but inside the first tendrils of anxiety were starting to wrap around her mind. Why did she need to be out of the city for a while? Yes, investigations were going on as to Mr Gekko's disappearance, but that would be confided to one area, wouldn't it?

"Before that, a master class inert survival is in order. I heard about your accident yesterday, and it is up to me to prevent that from ever happening again." Baki gestured for her to follow, before turning and walking out of the door, only stopping to hold it open for her.

Baki walked swiftly, wasting no time, and Hinata's small legs were struggling to keep up with him at walking pace, so she started jogging beside him. Baki's eyes slid over to her, and narrowed. He stopped, all of a sudden, and Hinata's lightning reflexes stopped her from crashing into anything.

"Lesson one –" Hinata flinched; Hiashi used to say that to her just before he… her thoughts trailed off and she shuddered, still keeping her ears open for as to what Baki had to say. "In Suna, physical exertion has to be kept at a minimum, unless you absolutely need to run. As people in Suna grew up with the heat, they have adapted so they can walk at normal speeds and not feel the heat. You on the other hand, coming from a cooler part of the world, aren't used to the temperature, and therefore will lose more sweat and gain heat quicker, resulting in another heat stroke or severe dehydration." Baki frowned for a second, face locked in thought. "The obvious solution is to lesson the intensity of which you are working at, but we are in quite a hurry today, the group are setting off in just a few hours, around 5 in the afternoon and you need to be taught the proper survival techniques." Baki scratched his smooth, tan chin with an equally tan hand. Hinata took note of the small scars littering his hands. He was a shinobi, through and through.

Suddenly, without warning, Baki swooped up and placed Hinata on his shoulders. "If you don't have to work at all, then the chance of you becoming ill is lessened." Once again Baki set off, Hinata clutching his head tightly.

Atop his head, Hinata had little to do except for admire the sights around her and inspect Baki's personality through his aura. He wasn't on her mental 'register' of auras yet.

Closing her eyes, she rested her head on his and instinctively 'felt' around with her mind.

His aura was a murky blue, flowing in calm waves around his body, occasionally changing directing spontaneously. The man had quite some power at his fingertips, but there was a sense of experience and reserve that Hinata knew would keep the man from going wild with it. She trusted this man a little more, but she didn't really know him, so she vowed to keep her guard up. He might be allied with the Leaf, but friendships can turn rather easily. She would never forget her experience with Ino.

Hinata familiarised herself with Baki's chakra signature until she felt him come to a sudden stop. Opening her eyes, she took in the sight of the building before her.

It was a huge, towering dome of sandstone, with a brightly coloured sign of the front face saying 'Suna Academy'. Hinata shifted a little in excitement, she was coming to _learn! _And hopefully… no one would be mean to her in here. They didn't know her after all.

_Neither did anyone back in Konoha really, and they were nasty too… _Hinata flopped a little, but was forced to come to her senses when she was suddenly removed from her perch on Baki's head.

"I trust you can walk now, it will be shady and cool inside. Come." Baki barely finished his sentence before he turned on his heel and disappeared inside, Hinata obeying his command obediently.

The room through the great entrance of the school was a gigantic hall which was occupied by around 15 students who were waiting patiently in 3 even rows. Hinata spotted Temari and Kankuro in the 1st row, and a surge of happiness and then guilt ran through her. She had got them into trouble… _They won't want to talk to me again…_

Baki led her gently up the front, and introduced her to the entire class. No one said a word to her, and when a blushing Hinata looked to Temari and Kankuro to gauge their reactions to her presence, she found nothing. They were apathetic to her.

Unfortunately, Baki directed her to stand next to Temari and quietly instructed Temari to help her with anything she happened to struggle on. Hinata caught a flicker of confusion go across the spiky haired girls face before an empty look replaced it. Temari nodded silently and then Baki went back up to the front again.

The lessons of desert survival had begun.

xXx

_8 hours later… 4.30pm_

"I hope you use what I taught you today wisely. Homework will be a 2 page essay on the correct equipment to use from the sheet I will give you and why you have chosen them, and not the others." Baki's gravelly voice instructed the class, handing round a crisp, paper sheet. Hinata, Kankuro and Temari did not receive a sheet, and Hinata wondered why. Then she remembered, she was leaving for the desert soon! _Still, why aren't the Kazekage's c-children getting one?_

Baki finished handing out the sheets before dismissing everyone. When Hinata and the two Sand Siblings tried to move to leave however, Baki held up a large, tan hand to stop them. The trio did, and waited for Baki to explain.

"The Kazekage has already told Hinata that she will be joining the trip across the desert today, but I doubt anyone told you two?" The two Sand Siblings shook there in head confirmation. "Well, no matter, the Kazekage has been very busy today with an investigation."

"So the rumours are true then? Me Gekko has gone missing?" Temari asked blue eyes wide with fear.

"Unfortunately, yes. However, I do not have permission to divulge any more information regarding the case." Baki said gravely, dark eyes softening a little when Temari held a hand to her mouth in a strangled sort of gasp and turned away.

Pure guilt engulfed Hinata as she looked at Temari's broken expression. Wrinkles of grief made themselves clear as her blue eyes shut tightly, almost as she were physically holding back tears. A deep, heavy feeling weighed in Hinata's stomach and her mind whirred at what to do.

She was out of her depth. How stupid of her to think she could investigate Mr Gekko! Of course others would try and find out what was going on!

A decision was made. When she got back from the desert she would leave the bills somewhere safe, as well as give an anonymous statement as to what had happened in the shop last night. It was the least she could do, and also the most. Fear stopped her coming forward now; the fear of disappointment in the Hokage's eyes at finding out she was a sneaking little liar, and fear of never being welcomed into Suna again. Fear of non-acceptance.

The silence that had weighed down all of them was broken as Baki spoke again.

"Temari-chan, I am sorry for your loss. But we need to be focused. You are all going on this trip, and I expect you to be as clear headed as any ANBU we have. I will accept nothing less, from any of you." An unknown emotion filled Hinata and she touched her chest tentatively. No-one had ever really expected anything of her before, no one had ever believed she could do anything. It was… such a strange feeling.

Did Baki truly believe that she could do it?

"Sir, is the fact that Gekko-san is missing the only reason we are going to be out of town for a while?" Kankuro asked, narrowing his painted eyes in suspicion.

Baki sighed. "The third sibling is returning early from his mission. He might be especially… unpredictable and so we deemed it right to get you two as well as our guest out of town for a while."

The two children beside Hinata paled and there auras abruptly changed to radiate grey terror. _Just the mention of __him__ gets everyone sc-scared…_

"We better be getting off then, unless you three have any more questions?" Silence was Baki's only reply. "Your bags have already been packed, we sent some Chunnin into your rooms to gather your supplies so we don't have to wait."

Hinata only just kept herself from fainting. Nodding, Hinata bit the inside of her cheek and dug her nails into her hands to keep her from acting in fear. _What if they f-found something? _

"Come along you three." Baki turned on his heel and left with a grace and speed that Hinata was already getting used to. She was careful to keep behind the two Sand Siblings… she didn't like leaving her back exposed to people who could possibly be hostile.

The sun was now a low, simmering orb in the sky, still giving out intense heat to an extent where it was pleasant. There wasn't cloud in sight as usual, but Suna's dusk sky didn't need clouds to give it character. The sky was streaked in shades of magenta and yellow, like the brushes of a hurried artist had painted them, and the stars were only just beginning to make an appearance from the blackening heavens.

The trek would be easy on the senses; however the company might send Hinata over the edge. Kankuro hadn't said a word to her all day and Temari had been perfectly polite to her but it was a cold politeness that warded Hinata off from going further in their conversations. As for Baki, well, he didn't seem like the type to speak with actions rather than with words.

The realisation that there's no place like home crashed into Hinata, and she longed for the furry faces of her surrogate family and her friends back in Konoha now more than ever.

Awaiting the quartet at Suna's heavily guarded entrance was a single man with numerous bags arranged carefully into a line before him. He was, like most ninja Hinata had seen, perfectly composed and dressed. He wore the traditional shinobi flak jacket, light grey pants and bandages were wrapped around his arms from his wrists to his elbows. His Sand hitai-ate was securely wrapped around his forehead which held in place a white turban which Hinata assumed would keep his head cool. Than man had no defining facial hair or features apart from a little stubble, and his face was not one you would remember in a crowd.

"Hinata-chan, this is Kayoto Utashi, one of Suna's best Jonin. He will be accompanying us for the desert trek tonight." Baki said. Hinata bowed deeply to the man in respect, but couldn't find the courage to introduce herself back. Luckily, the man just smiled politely at her before averting his blue eyes elsewhere.

"Alright, you lot, get your supplies ready. We are leaving in 5 minutes, no excuses." Baki commanded, and so Hinata, Temari and Kankuro proceeded to check their equipment carefully. Anything broken or missing might be the thing they needed most – Hinata learnt that today. Even matchsticks might be the difference between life and death.

5 minutes later, as promised, Baki ordered them all to move out. Hinata noticed that the Sand Siblings were sticking close together, and that they were sending out faint signals for her to keep away.

Hinata sighed and followed Baki out through the main gates, hoping that this trek would result in the Sand duo bonding with her a little more.

Bonding, however, was going to be the least of her worries…

xXx

Since I am only 14 (it was my birthday on the Feb 17th) my knowledge of loaning etc is sparse so I apologize if I have done anything wrong. I did however, try to get the interest rates right and such, 29.2% is the maximum legal interest in Japan (according to Wiki), so I did my homework!

A sarakin is someone who is just below a loan shark, charging the maximum legal interest rate.

A yamakin is a loan shark and goes above the legal interest rate. These are the terms (provided, once again by Wiki) used in Japan.

I made a bit of a corny joke about the letter address. First, I put Land of Hot Water because apparently its part of the real Naruto world map, and it made me laugh because 'being in hot water' means getting into trouble. Yeah… I'm bad at jokes. Also, rearrange the postcode and you get 666 HOT. Like devil. I hate Gato.

Moving swiftly on, I hope you enjoyed that chapter!

_**I won't be updating any time soon, my real exams are getting closer (I had my mock GCSE Science and Math tests a few weeks ago) I dedicate this chapter to UnknownRider541, because they sent me a PM which reminded me I needed to update! Thank you for getting my ass in gear! **_

_**Till next time, ingat! xx**_


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